The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-30 00:00:00

THE DANISH CLAIMS.

(From the Daily News.)
The question of the Danish claims, after four distinct ad-
judications by Parliament in favour of the claimants, is pro-
posed to be again brought before the House of Commons to-
morrow by Mr. Hawes. These claims originated so far back
as 1807, out of the seizure and sequestration of certain Bri-
tish ships and cargoes by the Danish Government, in reprisal
for that extraordinary aggression by which the British Go-
vernment obtained forcible possession of the Danish fleet. The
attack upon Copenhagen, and the capture of the fleet, were,
as is well known, acts preceded by no declaration of war; the
Danish reprisals followed as a matter of course on the in-
stant, as no formal declaration of war could be necessary
after such aggression. In the case of Buenos Ayres, now
waiting a solution, it is clear that if the Argentine Go-
vernment had made seizure and confiscation of British
property upon the capture of its squadron by the com-
bined British and French fleets, as in fact it might have
stood rightfully justified in doing, the owners would
be entitled to claim compensation from their own Govern-
ment, which could not refuse the demand, however it might
seek and obtain, or not, indemnity from Buenos Ayres. The
Foreign- office insists that there is no war with Buenos Ayres,
although British men-of-war have been bombarding r
and
storming Argentine forts and batteries ; so that if war were
actually declared to-morrow, it could have no retro-active
effect in barring claims created under another state of affairs.
The British Government of that day also declared that there
was no war with Denmark, the capture of the Danish fleet
notwithstanding; although subsequently, and now, in order
to defeat rights incontestably established, and more than ad-
mitted formerly by ministerial action and implication, it is pre-
tended to construe an ordinance issued by the Danish
Government after the seizure and sequestration of British
ships and cargoes referred to, into a declaration
of war, and the actual declaration, when it did come,
as, by retro-active effect, converting the provisional
seizure into a case of lawful prize of war. Perhaps the strong-
est point against the Government, however, is the admission
of Mr. Percival, the Minister of that day, that' a fund was in
hand and set specially apart, for the satisfaction of these
since and now contested claims, and thus stated in the me-
morial of the claimants :
" The sum of 1,200,0001., which was derived from the con-
fiscation of the Danish ships and cargoes, was actually paid
over to the public service, instead of remaining droits of the
Crown, because there were certain merchants who claimed
compensation out of it for the losses they had sustained,
arising from the manner in which the war had broke out!----
Mr. PercivarsSpeech,3oth May, 1810."
.

The following extracts from the memorial strikingly exem-
plify the hardships of the case, and the injustice of which the
claimants have been the victims, in some instances to their
rain.

"It will be remembered that these claimants were invited
to present their claims—that, by the express directions of the
Government, they incurred the labour and great expense of
procuring the necessary evidence from Denmark, Norway,
and the several seaports of England and Scotland to sub-
stantiate their respective losses—that the claims, after a rigid
scrutiny of each case, have been regularly adjudicated on by
Government Commissioners—and that, although Parliament
has four times decided in their favour, yet a new pretext has
been brought forward, on every occasion, for denying them
justice. The grounds now assumed by the Government for
opposing the claims is, that the seizure so made was in effect
hostile capture during war—that there is, consequently, no
obligation on the part of the State to indemnify against such
loss—and that it would be a dangerous precedent to depart
from this rule, in consideration of any peculiar circum-
stances of hardship. The claimants assert, and are pre-
pared again to demonstrate, that the seizure was not
made during an acknowledged state of war, or by way of
hostile capture. It is alleged that an ordinance published at
Gluckstadt on the 16th of August, 1807, was a declaration of
war by the Danish Government. The claimants assert, and
are ready to prove, that it was not such in fact, and was not
so regarded either by the Danes themselves or by the British,
until it suited the policy of the British Government so to
designate it. Again, with some inconsistency, it is alleged
that the declaration of war, after the seizure of these vessels
and cargoes, did, by a retro-active efficacy, make what was
originally a provisional seizure by way of embargo, for en-
forcing satisfaction, or by way of reprisals for taking sum-
mary redress, a capture by enemies, and consequently lawful
prize of war. The claimants deny that this legal refinement
of constructive relation, even if maintainable at all, can
change the character of reprisals, or release the state from
its obligation to indemnify. .
" There can be no risk of establishing a dangerous precedent
by granting these claims, though there may be, and will be,
in refusing them. Is it just that the merchants who were
navigating the Baltic in the full security of existing ami-
cable relations, should, by the consequences of an act of
their own Government—sudden, aggressive, unwarranted by
any precedent—of which they neither did nor could have
surmised anything beforehand—be stripped of their property,
without one shilling of compensation? More especially, it
is respectfully asked, is the refusal of compensation justifiable
when, by a like, but far less warrantable, seizure of Danish
property by the British authorities, a fund was realised suffi-
cient for the indemnity required—a fund, too, avowedly set
apart for that purpose.,

REPORTED VISIT OF PRINCE ALBERT TO LIVER-
rooL.—A paragraph has appeared, stating that Prince Albert has ac-
cepted an invitation to Liverpool, for the purpose of laying the foun-
dation-stone of [the Sailors' Home. The announcement is, at any
rate, premature ; we are not aware that anything is yet definitively
known upon the subject. We shall be happy to find that arrange-
ments can be made for bringing about so desirable an event.—Liver-
pool Courier.

The name of Prince Albert appears the first in a
recently-published list of the bencherB of Lincoln's Inn.

The Earl of Aberdeen entertained the Cabinet Minis-
ters at dinner last evening at Argyll House. There were present—

the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, the Lord Chancellor, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Haddington,
the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone,
the Earl of Ellenborough, the Earl of Ripon, Lord Granville Somer-
set, the Earl of Dalhousie, the Earl St. Germans, and the Right Hon.
Sidney Herbert.

An institution has lately been established at West
Bromwich by G. S. Kenrick, Esq., the objects of which are to furnish
the working classes with a place of resort in their leisure hours, and
mea►►s for innocent recreation ; to diffuse general and useful know-
ledge among the people; and to aid their desire to improve their
tastes and habits. It consists of a library, reading, news, and class-
rooms, and the subscription is but one penny per week. Lectures on
important subjects will be ozzasionally delivered; and the reading-
room is furnished with two daily and several London newspapers, the
best periodicals and the local papers.—Birmingham Gazette.
PEDESTRIANISAL—George Clarke has undertaken to
walk, at the West End Retreat Gardens, Heigham, Norwich, 1,500
miles in 1,000 successive hours, walking a mile and a half at the be-
ginning of each hour. He commenced this wonderful task at seven
o'clock in the evening of Saturday, the I lth instant, and up to seven
o'clock in the evening of Thursday completed 432 miles. He does
not appear to be the least fatigued; if we may Judge from his pre-
sent appearance, there is no doubt but that lie will accomplish this
unheard-of undertaking.—Yarntouth Chronicle. _ _

TEE Bor Jormii—The boy Jones, of palace-entering
notoriety, who, it will be remembered, was some years ago shipped
on board the Warspite as a boy of the second class, did not come
home in her, but was transferred to the Inconstant shortly before the
Warspite's leaving. He had then attained the rating of an ordinary
seaman. At climbing he had no superior in the Warspite; on one
occasion he climbed to the main truck, and seating himself there,
threw off his hat, jacket, and shirt, and flung them on deck. He is
represented as well conducted, and a very good seaman, considering
the time he has been at sea.

CHILD MURDER.—At the Jedburgh Circuit Court,
on the 21st instant, before Lords Moncrieff and Cockburn, Ann Car-
ruthers, of Gretna, was charged with the murder of her child, by
putting into its month small pieces of coal. She was found guilty,
and sentenced to be transported for life.
THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST. Within the last
fortnight, a farm at Coilingbourne, Wilts, consisting of about 500
acres, the property of the Marquis of Ailesbury, became vacant.
During that brief period the Noble Marquis has received (we are in-
formed) no less than eighteen applications for it from unexceptionable
tenants. So much for the anticipated effects of the repeal of the
corn-laws.

ScoTTisH HOSPITAL.--Yesterday a Special General
Court of the Governors of this ancient corporation was held, at their
Hall, in Crane-court, Fleet-street, for the purpose of electing sixty-
three poor persons as pensioners on the fluids of the institution;
Robert Low, Esq., presided. The result of the day's election was,
the admission of 33 individuals of the age of seventy and upwards,
to be recipients of a pension of 101. each per annum ; and a second
class of persons, 3Q in number, from the age of sixty-five, to pensions
of 81. per annum each. There are (including yesterday's election)
now on the funds of the institution, 130 pensioners; being 100 at 101.
a year, and 30 at 80/. a year. _ _

-Mr. Henry G. Watson, who has just gained one of
the Scholarships recently founded by the Council of King's College,
was for five years a pupil of the All Souls and St. Marylebone Dis-
trict Grammar-School, in union with King's College. Mr. Watson
carried off last year the highest prizes both in classics and mathe-
matics.

HAVE YOU GOT A TOBY?—The shower of missives
from railway directors, all referring to the stock case of " Woolmer
V. Toby," which has been falling incessantly on unhappy allottees,
for the last week er two, has given rise to the constant inquiry,
" Have you got a Toby ?" Once upon a time, when people met to-
gether at a street corner, the remark was, " It's a fine day," or " It's
very wet," as the case might be ; but now, one hears nothing but,
" Have you got a Toby ?"—Boston Herald.
DEATH OF A FATHER AND SON BY SUFFOCATIoN.—
.....
•

A very afflicting accident, but one unfortunately of frequ;i7OcCur-
rence, took place last week in the works of Messrs. Bagnall, Toll
End, by which a father and son lost their lives. It appears that on
Saturday morning, Thomas Onions, one of the men engaged In the
works, went into a pit through which the pipes that supply the
works with gas empty themselves, for the purpose of pulling out the
plugs and letting out the water. In doing so a great quantity of gas
rushed out, and the unfortunate man fell down nearly suffocated.
Not returning out of the pit, which was only three or four tea deep,
the son hastened to his father's assistance, when he too was over-
come with the gas, and fell down senseless. The young man was
drawn out a few minutes afterwards, but he was quite dead. The
father, who was lying in the pit a considerable time longer, was not
dead when taken out, and hopes were entertained of his recovery,
but he survived only till the following day (Sunday), when he ex-
pired.
Inquests were held on the bodieste pipes
before
Georgefir many years,
Esq., coroner, when, it appearing that no blame could be attached to
any one, the father having the care of the
verdicts of "Accidental death" were returned.— Wolverhampton
Chr°GRikIeAvESEND, APRIL 29.—THE SHIP BRAHMIN.—The
stillwas to have been embarked
od
ne t
ba
oc ha
rmd etahts onf
rt ha
hem\
nO t h
for H
usBCalarcusitrehcontinues oli billet in the
town. An inspection of the vessel in respect to her accommodations
for these troops took place again this day, and the result is stated to
be —an order to lighten the ship, and to enlarge the accommodations
for the troops. These alterations are a Rill justification of the con-
ductß oßfltThlesouftl
kersu.sErm.—To-morrovr (Friday) the British
Museum will be opened until seven o'clock in the evening, and will
_be
ROYALcontinued A
teG thßmeentrTtrLi
August.dLofL
sociETy
OF ENGLAND.—A
meeting of the council was held on Wednesday
Duke at the Society's house,
Grace in Hanover-square; the President, Lord in
There were also present his
Spencer, Viscount Hill, Lord Braybrooke, Hon. P H. Clive, M.P.,
Sir J. V. B. Johnstone, Bilarr.t.s.MH..P., Mr. T. W. Bramstone, M.F.,
M.P.,Mr. A .3uEr..F.walleßr.,
014..5Pe0.
M.P.,nsileld,o
l
Cure,nobb s
,Mjar . r
.AD. Ogilvie,D. Barclay,
Langston% M.P., Mr. W. Miles,
Colonel M'Donally, Mr. Capel
Sewell, Mr. F. Pyne Mr. Fisher
y,Prgess. Twelver
new members were re admitted,
Pusey,
apnd the names of thirty-eight candidates
M.P., chairman of the journal esmmittee, transmitted to
proposed for election. Mr.
the council the reports of the judges in the classes of essays on grass
lands and manure work. The following adjudications were con-
firmed :—To Mr. John Brexenden, surveyor, of Cirencester, the So-
ciety's prize of 501., for the best essay on the advantages or dis-
advantages of breaking up grass land; to Mr. Hugh BaYn-
bird, of Kingraves, near Bury St. Edmunds, a prize of 201., for the
best essay on measure work in its application to agricultural labour.
The President took the opportunity of communicating to the council
the results of some experiments made on the growth of potatoes
from diseased tubers, of which, on a former occasion, he had reported
planted, which had been scooped eut,e
but allowed to become stale,
' the greater part had failed , but where fresh eyes were planted, all
' of 'them were growing. Of the autumn planted potatoes, all are
' doing well in dry ground, but only half promise well in ground less
' friable, the other half proving rotten. All the produce from diseased
' potatoes sown has proved to be sound and good. From tubers
' planted in a hothouse, in October last, in dry heat, fine sprouts have
' been taken live times successively from such tubers, and planted
' along with the original tubers, in the open ground, for a crop ; and
all the plants of this multiplied crop are now growing luxuriantly.
, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.—CHATHAM, APRIL 2.99h.f—re,
' The Commandant of Chatham Garrison, Colonel Sir T. Will
K.C.8., has directed the officer in command of the
id to hold
consisting of 3 sergeants, 3 corporals, and 44 privates, a
Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Gold, to select a detachmen6tstolif Regiment,f corps,
uard, to proceed in
board the John Calvin convict ship, as a convict g
st. Leger Barry,wi:h
them in readiness to embark at 'Woolwich, on the 3d of Mlay next, on
charge of convicts for Norfolk Island. Captain
childrens undergo medical eded to take command
oLfieutlti
eenagnutaGrde.orgseLiMweyonilere,naarieidtheeigoifilitcers
in-
spection this day.
undermentioned officers, commencing
grant leave of absence to th.e
Wilson,
96th Regiment, to June 30 ;
t,thteoi
rMdaeytalcOhm; this month:—Captain T. 31
The Commander-in. Chief has beelsn,
IpBl4e6as.
eln'istsiwgnhesn.
Boyle, until the period for
embarka-
Christian, to August 31 ; Ensign
of the 96th Regiment, to June
Ensign P. B. Lucas, of tine 10tIhndRiaegiwmitehn
embarka-
tion ; and Ensign Lees, pleased
dThtoe
above officers will proceed to
The 67th Regiment,
ordered for embarkation
. now in Dublin, is ex-
-1 pected to succeed the 65th Regiment at this garrison ; when the
regiment will be droughted out ill convict guards for Van Diemen's
LOA

COMMITTEE ROOMS ofr the NEW
P HOUSES OF P JJAKENT.
We have before briefly note that some of the railway
committees have commenced th tied4pationof the new Houses
of Parliament. This taking pasion of: it part of the yet
unfinished building confirms t ' apeetation that the Whole
may be entered upon in the next' 'session, and the event is
worthy a more extended notice than we were enabled to
spare room for.

. _
- The Committee- rooms are at present approached by the
entrance to the old Committee-rooms, close to.the porch of
Westminster Hall. The access is circuitous, and the grand
corridor, into which all the rooms open, is reached by an
ascent of various staircases, numbering altogether seventy-
eight steps. If we assume each step to be half a foot deep,
the elevation of the Committee-rooms is nearly forty feet
about Old Palace-yard. The grand corridor extends the
whole length of the river front of the building, and from
it each Committee-room is entered directly by two
doors, one entrance being for the public, and the
other for the Members. The rooms, with the exception of
two larger ones in the centre of the building, are of equal
size, being about thirty-two feet long by thirty wide, and
twenty feet high. Each of them is lighted by two windows
looking towards the river, of which they command a
magnificent view. The windows reach from near the
bottom to the top, and even with the present imperfect
glazing by small panes of glass in wooden frames, there
is an abundance of light. The ceilings not having yet
been underlined, the brick flooring by which the different
stories are divided, for the better protection against fire,
are exposed to view and their mode of construction. It
is evident that it would be impracticable to construct a
level surface of bricks to form the roofs without, supports ;
and to have given the rooms vaulted roofs would have caused
a great waste of space ; the architect has consequently had
recourse to the construction of a series of small arches resting
on iron girders, that reach the length of the room. By this
means the space lost between the floorings by these arches
springing from iron girders, will not be above one foot ;
but there must necessarily be an immense weight resting on
the iron supports, which have to bear nearly the whole of the
pressure. _ _ _

:nAetxptrreeraseenity thniaskemdaganpifipearcenant
ested-leof
oapartments
s p_ roees.f
tnhts
rooms consisting of the baize-covered tables, aewcahaus
, a
e
deal press to contain the papers of the Committees,
green-
baize skirting, and cocoa-nut matting. In consequence of the
ceilings not being finished, ner the walls plastered, the
rooms are unfavourable for the transmission of sound, but
this defect will most probably be removed when they are
finished and furnished. There is, however, one material
want already apparent, that of retiring rooms for the mem.
bers of Committees. It occurred on the first day that one of
the Committees, desiring to discuss a disputed point, it was
requisite to clear the room, and all the counsel, the witnesses,
and other persons were compelled to wait in the corridor
until the deliberation was ended. This is a defect which
can only be remedied by appropriating smaller rooms for
consultation, on the opposite side of the corridor, which must,
however, be in most instances, at a considerable distance from
the room of the Committee.
At present only half of the range of rooms on the river
front is in a state of readiness, and some of those are not com-
pleted ; the others are, however, preparing, and will pro-
bably be ready next week. The two. larger rooms near the
centre of the building, cne of which is occupied by the North
Kent Railway group, are one-third larger than the others,
being lighted by three windows each, instead of by two, but
their height is the same as that of the other rooms.