The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAIENT.

SOUSE OF COALWONS. July 19.
(Continued from_ our Afternoon Edition of Saturday.)

sUPPLY.—r EtE ADMIRALTY.

Upon the first resolution,
Sir D. L. EVANS reminded the House that upon the
discussion which had taken place some time since upon
the subject of the naval retired list allusions had been
made by himself, which had been replied to by the Right
Hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty, with
reference to a gallant officer, Sir G. Westphal. What
he (Sir D. L. Evans) bad stated was, that Sir George
had made application to Lord Auckland to be employed,
but that he had been unable to obtain a ship. The Right
lion. Gentleman, on the contrary, bad stated his belief
Chat Sir George. Westphal could not have been very
anxious to obtain employment, because, had he been
so, his friendship wieta Sir C. Cockburn would most
probably have secured him one. This statement had
wounded the feelings of that gallant officer, and he was
now requested to read to the House a communication
which had just passed between the Gallant Admiral al-
luded to and Sir George Westphal. That communication
was as follows:

" 6, Clifford-street, July 17.
" Dear Westphal,—ln consequence of my having seen
in the newspapers what passed in the House of Com-
mons respecting you some evenings ago, I consider it to
be due to you to state that you quitted your station as
captain of my fl2g-ship (ma the North Americaa and
West India station owing to your extremely dangerous
state of health, from fever contracted by your profes-
sional exertionsin the West Indian climate, which, I
assure you, caused me at the time very great regret, as
I cannot hesitate to say I considered, and still consider,
you to be one of the most able and efficient officers of
your rank in our naval service; and, as you were fully
aware of my intention (if circumstances had caused me
again to hoist my flag) to have applied for you as my
captain, I cannot but fear this consideration may have,
in some degree, prevented your pressing for employ-
ment, as you might otherwise have done. I will still
hope, however, that your gallant war services, and
wounds received by you in battles with our enemies
afloat and ashore, may procure for you yet sach further
command as may prevent our country losing the benefit
of your services in the higher ranks of the profession,
while you possess such health and strength as you hap-
pily now do.—Believe me, my dear Westphal, always
faithfully and truly yours,

" G. Cocitstinzt.
" Captain Sir George Westphal, R.N."
Sir F. T. BARING should be sorry if anything bad
escaped him upon the occasion referred to which could
be regarded as derogatory to the service of which the
Gallant Captain was an ornament, or which could be
hurtful to the feelings of any man• lie remembered it
had been insinuated in the course of the debate that
persons who had not interest could not obtain employ-
ment; and Sir George Westphal's name having been
mentioned, he (Sir F. Baring) stated that that gentleman
was connected with Sir George Cockburn, the admiral
of the fleet, and that if he had applied for employment
Sir George Cockburn would have brought his name
favourably before the First Lord. He still retained the
impression that, for some time, Sir George Westphal bad
not applied for active employment.
Admiral DUNDAS had known Sir George Westphal
for many years, and could bear testimony to the value
of that officer. The fact of the case was this, however,
Sir George Westphal had been three years and one
month
at sea as a post-captain, and he required, there-
fore, two years and eleven months to complete his time.
He had not applied for general service at the Admiralty,
but he beleived that in 1836 or 1337, when there was a
prospect of a war with America, he did write for a com-
mand, as he knew the coast.

Sir D. L. EVAN:;—I distinctly deny that statement.
Admiral DUNDAS—I don't know whether language
of that sort is permitted. Out of doors it would not
be. I know thit.—(Cries of "Order!")
Sir D. L. EVANS—Eh? what? Very well, lam
quite prepared.—(Loud cries of " Order," in the midst
of which Mr. E. B. DENisox rose.)
The SPEAKER—Oder, order! The Hon. and Gal-
lant Member for Westminster having said something
offensive to the Hon. and Gallant Mcmber for Green-
wich, will, I am sure, see the necessity of retracting the
offensive cxpressiun.
Sir D. L. EVANS—If I have said anything contrary
to the forms of the House I will retract; but I will re-
peat that Sir G. Westphal applied to Lord Auckland for
active emplo3 ment. _ _

Admirtil DUNDAS—I speak by documents in the
Admiralty. I don't know anything of applications made
to Lord Auckland. I don't understand these sort of
obaervatiens.—(Order, order.)
The SPEAKER—The Hon. and Gallant Member for
Westminster must retract his expression.
Sir DE LACY EVANS—I stated that Sir G. West-
phal
.had applied for employment to Lord Auckland.
I•have it from himself that he did so, and I refuse—l
don't see why I should retract it. I don't think that the
language of the Hon. and Gallant Admiral was called
for. lam in th- service as well as himself.—(Order.)
The SPEAKER—The Hon. and Gallant Officer does
not appear 10 understand my observation. He has al-
lowed an expression to escape him which is personally
offensive to the Gallant Admiral. lam sure he did not
mean to say anything personally offensive to the Gallant
Admiral, and that he will withdraw the expression.
Sir D. L. EVANS—I am quite ready to obey your
order, Sir, on all subjects of form, and lam ready to
withdraw any expression that was offensive to the Gal-
lant Officer.—(Hear.)

Admiral lAINDi.S—Of course I am perfectly satis-
fied.—(Cheers.) I rose only to appiy to defend Sir G.
Westphal, whom I have known a good many years
more than the Gallant General. I spoke only of the
Admirait records.

The matter then dropped, and the resolution was
agreed to. _ _

-Oa the vote of 50,0004 for civil contingencies, &c.,
Mr. WILLIAMS moved, as an amendment, to reduce
it by 2501., the sum paid to the Dean and Chapter of
Windsor for the interment of the Queen Dowager, and
to substitute a vote of 49,7801.
The House divided; the numbers were—
For the amendment
Against it

... 29
... 37
..• -8

Majority ...
The resolution was then agreed to.
NAVAL MEDALS.

Upon another vote,
Sir GEORGE PECIIELL called the attention of the
House to the case of certain surviving cfficers, seamen,
and marines who were present in a successful action,
specially approved by the Admiralty, whose claims for
naval medals had been rejected.
Si? F. BARING said it was well known that the ao-
tion was commenced before declaration of war, and took
plane under peculiar circumstances, of a rather painful na-
ture. A Committee had been appointed to icquire into the
claims of those who claimed to be entitled to medals,
and the Admiralty had acted upon their report,
Captain SCOBELL said the question was, whether
the Government had acted on a right or a wrong prin-
ciple in the di4tribution cf the medals; if wrong it ought
to be immediately remedied. The cfrect of the principle
which they had adopted would be to give the smallest
ship boy who had no merit of his own a medal, while
abla officers, who by accident were not actually present
in the engagement, would be obliged to go medallesa.
The number who had nut received medals was so small
that he thought the Government might properly award
them medals, if they found on inquiry that the services
in which they had beets engaged entitled them to such
honorary distinctions.
After a few words from Colonel CHATTERTON
and ()tiler lion. Members the subject, dropped.
Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to draw the atten-
tion of the Noble Lord at the liesd of the Woods and
Forests to the case of Anne Hicks, who had been die.
possessed of a house. fie gave notice that he should,
on a future occasion, make a motion on the subject.
The remainder or the items were then received.
The Grand Jury Coss (Ireland) Bill passed through
Committee.

MERCANTILE MARINE AMEND'IENT BILL.
The i10ti,4.-Ivviv into Commit...tea ou this ;Bid.
Citius,-33 1 to IS iueluAve were agreed Cu without
•

MII3 iOn.

Oa elpiaie_l7,_

litr. ANDERSON moved an amendment for the pur-
pose of modi;ying the system of advance notes. He
propo4ed to make these advance no:es granted by the
oipown2r, reco7eraole trorn Lim under all the ctrcuin-
stances, whether the sailor deserted or not. This, ho
thought, would be to.
.make the shipowner careful to
grant them o!.,iy to &Athirst of knownchar,:tter and repu-
tation.
Air. JAMESCLAY supported the amendment
Mr. LABOUCifEirS, said that though the system
of a:;vance n,.?tea was open to twiny objections, yet he
Should not consent to Me present amendment, because
he thonAt it wotdd lead ti, io tO-e entire auelition.ok the
m
and be the cause of many hardships to the
Sat! or

Aft." Elort discussion amendment was with-
drawn,

The clause was then agreed to.
The tetna.,,k. ing clauses of the Bill wero then agreed to,
as also were the schedules.
Mr. L A.BotionE RE proposed a clause to empower
any naval "r consular officer, in case of A shipwreck
abroad, to hold an inquiry
shipwreck. intjthe circumstances of such

The clause was agm, ,
Mr. ANDERSON e- to.
clause of the Act ith ant'civrei a clause to repeal the
Victoria, chap. 112, which
camp's merchant seamen-v-rhho enter a vessel of war from
for(eitare of their wages.
Sir F. BARING said particular
directions had been
issued from the Admiralty on h.
prec,,tion would be taken to prevent the and
every
recurrence of these instances the unnecessary
of abandonment. The
great protection to the
eic.n, system, however, was a
pr , , ~
dinthia
diqcus.
seaman, who ought not to be overlooke
clause
etf)deprive
sion; and he confessed it would be imprudent
him of that protection by allowing this
in-
troduced, which would have the eff,ct of leavingto be' the sea-
Juan eLtirely at the mrrcy of the master.
Mr. RICARDO was very much astonished at the
course taken by the Right Hon. Barooet the Finn Lord
of the Admiralty. Richert° he had laboured under the
inspres.ion that the law now complained of was insti-
tuted for thepurpose of manning tho navy, but now it
appeared teat a frecond object of it was to protect the
seaman against the ill-tree.ment of the master. Well,
if that were so., why not allow the seaman to desert into
the merchant r,i.rvice as wen as the navy? He
for one had Io faith in Admiralty regulations, and
as he thought V-,e existing law acted nnjuitly towards
the shipowner, 114- should certainly support the intro-
duction of the clause.
Mr.
. • WAWIT mho supported the clause.
Sir
. J.- GIIAUAM would be glad to know if the Hon.
GRiltlemam..,
mr. ANZ2p.proposed theclause intended to divide.
'-'4USON said he did.

Sir J. GRAHAM said, under these circumstances
he must request that the discussion be adjourned.
I; was not right that an important question of this
nature should run the risk of being carried by reason of
the thinness of the House. He was not quite sure
that it would be possible to man the navy without im-
pressment, but certainly it was not possible to keep the
navy in a state of efficiency without this power of aug•
menting the service upon the volunteer principle. He
should therefore oppose the clause.
Mr. FORSTER thought no reason whatever had been
given for the continuance of the power, and announced
his intention to bring the salvage question under con-
sideration early next session, unless in the meantime it
was taken up by the Government.
After a few words from Admiral DUNDAS,
Mr. CLAY reminded the Committee, the clause would
not prevent the seaman joining a man-of war while he
was engaged in a merchant ship if ho so thought fit, but
it would prevent an improper influence being used to in-
duce him to do so.
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the clause ...
Against it
Majority ...
The clause was accordingly lost.
Mr. ANDERSON next moved the insertion of a
clause to the effect that such provisions of the General
Merchant Seamen's Act, 8 and 9 Vic., c. 112, and of
the Mercantile Marine Act 1650, as compels seamen in
the merchant service to obtain and produce register
tickets, shall be repealed.
Mr. LABOUCHERE opposed the clause, though
he was quite ready to admit that there was ample room
for improvement in the registration and ticket system.

32
-20

The clause was withdra.Wn.
Mr. ANDERSON then moved a clause to the effect,
that such provisions of this Act, and of the Mercantile
Marine Act, 1850, as apply to the personal supervision
of shipping masters over the engagements and discharge
of seamen, shall only be applicable when the services of
a shipping master for that purpose shall be
required by the master, owner, or any seaman
or seamen, concerned in such engagement or discharge;
and nothing contained in the said Acta, or either of
them, shall authorise any shipping master to interfere in
the engagements or discharge of any seaman or seamen ,
unless the master or owner, seaman or seamen, shall
request the interference of such shipping master for
that purpose.

-Mr. LABOUCHERE said, although this proposal
came before the House in the shape of a clause, it was
nothing more nor less than a modest proposal to repeal
that part of the Mercantile Marine Act which related to the
suppression of the crimping system. He had received
assurances from nearly every seaport in the kingdom of
the admirable working of that Act, and he hoped nothing
would be done to disturb its provisions.
Mr. MOFFATT supported the clause, and denied that
the operation of the Act had been at all satisfactory.
After a few words from Mr. `YAWN the clause was
negatived without a division.

The preamble was then agreed to, and the House hav-
ing resumed the report was ordered to be recived on
Monday.
CONVEYANCE OF MAILS BY RAILWAYS BILL.
Mr. C. LEWIS moved that this Bill be read a second
time pro forma, in order to be printed with amendments.
It involved mere matters of detail, which-could be better
considered in Committee.

Mr. GROGAN opposed the Bill, which he said
was contrary to the existing law.
Mr. GLYN would consent to the second reading, on
the understanding that the discussion on the priciple
of the Bill should take place in Committee.
Mr. B. DENISON considered that the Bill would give
to the Post-office authorities much greater control over
railways than they ought to possess.
The Bill, after some further discussion, was then read
a second time, and ordered
_to be committed on Monday.

THE SUN,