The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

SPAIN.

Lord STANLEY then rose to draw the attention of
their Lordships, to the papers which had been presented
to the House, on the subject of the communications
which had taken place between Lord Palmerston and M.
Isturitz, relatire to the mission of Count Mirasol.

(LEFT SPEAKIXG.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (BRANCH
FROM SLOUGH TO ►VINDSOR).

Upon the motion for the third reading of this Bill,
Mr. DISRAELI moved that the Bill be read
a third time that day six months, and said he
did so on the part of Eton College, whose interests were
essentially public interests, and whose interests he hoped
the House would protect by rejecting the Bill. What
ever might be the organization of the powerful inte-
rests he had to encounter in opposing the Bill, he trusted
that the sense and justice of the House would resist the
monstrous proposition which was proposed by this
company. Last year Parliament threw out the Bill,
but had so far as it had yet proceeded consented
to it this session, and one of the principal supporters of
the Bill was the Chief Cornmis=ioner of the Woods
and Forests, which might be accounted for in conse-
quence of the Great Western Company having made a
compensation to the Crown of 25,0001. It might be said
tbat it was ungracious to oppose a Bill which had been
passed by a Committee of the House, but this was an
exceptionable case, because the arrangement which had
been entered into for the purpose of getting the consent
of the Crown did not redound to the credit of either of
the parties concerned.
Mr. CAMPBELL seconded the amendment.
Colonel REID complained that the Noble Lord the
First Commissioner of the Woods and Forests had
violated an agreement into which he had solemnly
entered with the South-Western Company. He
acquitted the Noble Lord of any intention to violate
the understanding to which be came with the company,
but yet that did not alter the fact. He had agreed to a
certain plan for the Windsor and Staines Railway, which
he afterwards opposed, and sanctioned another. He had
promised to give his support to a project of the South-
Western, but instead of doing so he had favoured one
brought forward by the rival company.
Lord MORPETH said that as a direct charge had
been made against him of breach of faith, he felt bound
to make a few observations to the House. He
was disposed not to view that charge—a charge
that had been brought against him gravely, of a direct
bi each of faith, with any great concern, feeling, as he did,
that he had hitherto acted in these proceedings with the
utmost candour and fair dealing towards all the parties
with whom he had successively been brought in contact.
He felt it necessary to mention that, in the high quarter
to which allusion had already been made there was no
wish for increased railway accommodation between
London and Windsor. The proprietors of Windsor
Castle were perfectly satisfied with the accommodation
afforded by the Great Western Company, and as the
Great Western bad recently been restrained from
making a branch to Windsor by the Crown, there could
be no doubt that the Great Western Company had
strong claims upon the consideration of Government.
During, however, the period of railway excitement, the
inhabitants of Windsor felt that it would be greatly to
their benefit if they had a direct railway communication
with London, and the Crown conceding their wishes,
felt itself at liberty to withdraw its opposition to a
scheme of that nature, upon the promoters undertaking
to put the Crown in a position to make certain im-
provements at Windsor without imposing additional
burdens upon the people. That understanding
was entered into both with the Great Western and
South-Western Companies, but he denied most
positively that he ever entered into an engagement
with either company to oppose or support the other.
There had been no concealment and no breach of faith in
the course which had been taken on the part of the Crown,
and he had good reason for believing that the evi-
dence which he gave last before the Committee
had not been the means of throwing out the
scheme proposed by the Great Western Company.
No person held the associations and recollections
of Eton more sacredly than he did, but the objections to
this undertaking, he was inclined to think, were of that
kind which were entertained by many learned bodies
towards the approach off anything in the shape of
business or commerce near the places of their habita.•
tion, and such as induced the authorities of Eton Col-
lege to oppose the original Great Western Railway, and
the heads of the University of Oxford, to oppose a line
from London to Oxtord.—(llear, hear.), He was, there-
fore, inclined to think that the objections which some of
the masters and some of the scholars of Eton had
thought it their duty to urge against the line were un-
foundsd and premature. The authorities of the college,
whose business it was to massage all the affairs connected
with it were in favour of the Great Western branch, and
had given it their persevering support. Ia order to
show that was the case, the Noble Lord read a letter
which he had received from the resistrar of the college.
disclaiming on the part of the college any ptirticipatiou
in the expressions used by the counsel for
the South-Western Company, and stating that
as the town of Windsor demanded railway
communication the college had forced upon them
the choice of two evils, viz., a line passing in a
westerly direction, which would only partially obstruct
the amusement of the scholars, and not interfere with
the property of the college, and a line passing easterly,
having a large station close to the property of the col.
lege, and which was calculated to interfere with the
discipline of the school.
He thought the Great Western was entitled to the
greatest consideration of the Crown and the Govern-
ment, and that this Bill should receive the assent of
the Souse.--(Cheer..)