The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-25 00:00:00

. served encouragement at the hands of her Majesty's
Government. The country was justly proud of the
Great Western Railway, and they ought to be no less
proud of the Great Western steam-ship —(Heer, hear.)
Well, then, let it be borne iu mind that the company
who had built that vessel was the first to prove that
the Atlantic might be overcome by the power of steam;
and during the Canadian insurrection they afforded con-
siderable service to this country in conveying and bring-
ing Government dispatches. Then, again, it was by
the celerity of the Great Western steam-ship that the
Right Hon. Baronet, the late Premier, was enabled to
announce to the House, before quitting office, that the
Oregon question was settled, and his announcement was
confirmed by the Great Britain, another vessel belonging
to the Great Western Steam-boat Company —(Hear,
hear.) lie thought, then, under thsse circumstances,
the company deserved some of the patronage of the Go-
vernment, and it could not be bestowed upon them in a
better way than by giving them a contract for carrying
the American mails.—(Hear, hear.) It must be borne
in mind, too, that besides doing great services for the
Government, the company had done much to promote
and advance the mechanical science of the country.
They it was who first practically develope 1 the screw
system ; and he thought, at all events, they were en-
titled to a hearing if they did not participate in the pa-
tronage of the Government.
Mr. GOULBURN said, as he was the party who made
the present contract for the conveyance of the mails to
America, he felt it incumbent upon him to say a few
words. He should endeavour to show that the contract
so made was the best for the public service. In 1839
steam navigation across the Atlantic was first esta-
blished, when Government advertised for parties to
contract for carrying the mails to America, and as
Messrs. Cunard were the only parties prepared to
enter into such a contract, it was of course conceded to
them. They were to provide three vessels, of three
hundred horse-power each, to perform journies out and
home, once a fortnight, and the Government agreed to
pay them a compensation of 55,0001. per annum. It
was subsequently found, however, that these vessels
were not sufficiently powerful to navigate the Atlantic,
and another contract was entered into, by which it was
Agreed that Messrs. Cunard should provide five vessels
of four hundred horse-power, which should be so built
as to be made available for the service of the country
in- times of war. Shortly afterwards another arrange-
ment was made for the conveyance of the mails to the
North American colonies, and it was this arrangement
which induced the late Government to think it would be
better to send the mails vid New York instead of Boston.
He said that the contract of 1841, not only required the
conveyance of mails to North America twenty times a
year, but gave the Admiralty power to require Mr.
Cunard to put on vessels and double the number of mails
for the year within nine months after notice. Shortly
after this, a discussion arose as to the best method of

conveying the mails to the North American colonies, and
in 1845, a proposal was made by the United States of
America to carry the mails overland to the colonies of
the north, and it was thought better to have the mails
carried by way of New York and not by Boston. He
said, then, these mails had been regularly carried, as
well during the winter months as when the season
allowed of more certain voyages. The Government,
however, instead of' remunerating Mr. Cunard to the
amount to which he was entitled by the contract of
1841, which should have been 180,0001., cut him down
to 145,000/. for forty-four voyages a . year. It had
been stated by the Hon. Gentleman, that the cost was
4,5001. a voyage.—(The Hon. Member from the other
side of the House "It was 4,5001.") He (Mr. Goul-
burn) would tell him what the original cost in whole
was—it was 3,2901. But the .proposal made by the
other companies was severally 3,750/. and 5,0001. a
voyage, so that, measuring Mr. Cunard's merits by the
amount of remuneration given him, his superiority was
established by that, as well as by the uniform regularity
and asiduity with which he had discharged his duties.
It had been asked why the Government had not ac
cepted the tender of the Great Western Company, and
kept open two routes to North America ? But he (Mr.
Goulburn) would ask any gentleman, whether a Govern-
ment, maintaining a double line of mails, would not have
exceedingly increased the expense to the country ? But,
besides, that company proposed to give up running early
in November, and begin again only in April. Jr Cu-
nard, on the contrary, against the anticipations of the
Admiralty, had faced and overcome the difficulties of
running across these seas during the winter months.
One other object was looked to in estabhshing th's
mode of conveyance—that provisions were made for a
time of war as well as of peace, so that the mai!s
might run at all times. This establishment, he said,
owed its origin entirely to the activity of the colonists of
Nova Scotia and the neighbourhood, and he, for one,
should have been sorry to do anything against the zeal
and the energy of these colonists.
Lord CLEMENTS moved that it should be an in-
struction to the Committee to consider the advantage of
the mails to Halifax starting from the western eoast of
Ireland. He said there was a gross neglect of Ireland.
In Lord Grey's time the only admiralty station in Ireland
had been removed, and since that time a route connecting
the western coast of Ireland and North America hail
been asked and as often refused. He thought, then,
that it would tend much to the conciliation of Scotland,
and to a closer union between America and this country,
if a railway crossed Ireland to the west coast, conveying
the mails that way to America.
Mr. CHRISTIE said that he thought one very strong
point with the Hon. Gentleman who had brought for-
ward the motion, and of which the Hon. Gentleman
(Mr. Goulburn) on the other side of the House had
taken no notice, was, that this contract had been signed
two days after the late Government had tendered their
resignation, and were holding office only till another
Government should be formed. This had been brought
before the House at the time by a question, and the pre-
vailing opinion then was, that the contract would not be
signed till a Government was formed ; and indeed, the
Noble Lord now at the head of her Majesty's Govern-

ment gave his assurance to the House that the contract
would not he signed till further consideration had been
given it. He hoped that some explanation of this would
be given by some Member of the late Government, and
also that a Committee would be granted to the lion.
Gentleman the Member for Bristol on the subject.
Mr. GOULBURN begged to explain that everything
but the actual signature to the contract was done in this
matter before the resignation of her Majesty's lute
Ministers.
Mr. SPOONER said, in answer to the remark, that
Mr. Cunard was the first gentle man that had traversed
the Atlantic in the winter time ; that the reason was,
that he was the only gentleman that had be,n paid for
doing so.—(Hear, hear.) The fair way would have
been to offer to both companies remuneration for the
carriage of the mails. The public did not complain of
the manner in which Mr. Cunard had carried out the
terms of his contract—every one must admit that he

had carried it out in a most satisfactory manner.—
(Hear, hear.) The public, he contended, should be
made cognisant of the terms of all contracts of this
description.—(ltear, hear.) The Government had kept
all t ;is matter in the dark, and of that the public had a
right to complain. He had no doubt that his
Right Honourable Friend had done his Ix st to-
wards securing the ablest contractor for the

carriage of mails ; but he had at the same
time deprived the public of competition.—(Hear,
hear.) A most dangerous precedent had been est•i-
blished, and he hoped that the House would grant this
Committee, for the purpose of making a full inquiry
into the matter.

Mr. GISIIORNE said that his commercial consti

tuents highly disapproved of the conduct of the late Go-
vernment on this subject. The Right Hon. Gentleman
opposite (Mr. Goulburn) had no doubt given a most
satisfactory answer to the Hon. Member for Weymouth
(Mr. Christie) as to the signing of the contract, but he
had not, in the course of his observations, exculpated
himself from the charges of unfairness and injustice
which had been brought against him. If the late Go-
vernment could show that they had acted justly, the
public would of course be satisfied; but he was afraid
that they could not. Under these circumstances, he
hoped that the present Government would grant the in-
quiry asked for.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. MARK Pinups said that as this subject
created a great excitement out of doors, he sincerely
hoped that a Committee might be granted, for the pur-
pose of justifying the conduct of all parties concerned,
and showing the public that no unfairness had been
committed. He believed that the commercial interests
oc this country were greatly indebted to the Right Hon.
Gentleman, the late Canc,llor of the Exchequer, for the
manner in which he had exered himself in obtaining for

the country the earliest possible means of communica
Lion with the United States, but ho thought that he had
acted very prudently in establishing a monopoly in favour
of Mr. Cunard. He was most anxious that the Com-
mittee should be granted, that the
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members of the Government that followed them would
have s6,ned it. Had the contract not been signed by the
late Government, they would have been guilty of a most
shabby act. He therefore hoped that the Committee
asked for would be appointed.—(Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, after
giving a brief history of the circumstances connected
with the granting of the contract to Mr. Cunard, said
that he felt that that gentleman was the ablest person
with whom the Government could have contracted for
the conveyance of the mails to the United States, but he
was by no means opposed to the appointment of a Com-
mittee, which would afford the House an opportunity of
inquiring into the whole of the circumstancls.—(Hear.)
He did not wish to say a word calculated to annoy the
South-Western Company; they were fully entitled to
stand well with the public ; they were the first to con-
struct large steamers to cross the Atlantic, and they had
made a',; their own cost a great experiment lately with
the splendid steam-ship the Great Britain. It was the
duty, however, of the Government to make the best
bargain they could for the public. He was so satisfied
with the course the Government had taken that he
should be the last person in the world to object to such
a Committee as moved for by the Hon. Member. The
adoption of such a course at the present time would
load, however, to the stoppage of the supplies, and he
hoped, therefeee, that the Hon. Member would not press
his motion.
The motion was accordingly withdrawn.
ABUSES IN THE MILBANK PRISON.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved, pursuant to notice, that
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the
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Milbank Prison, be referred to a Select Committee, He
did not propose to outer into the allegations of the poti.