The Sun.
London, England, 1833-06-28 00:00:00

`ge IMI'E R lAI, RLIAI ENT
eoh
THIS DAY, FRIDAY, JUNE 28.
re
tg 111 •

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the chair at the usual time. On
entering the gallery we fuund upwards of fifty members
Present.

DUBLIN STEAM-PACKET COMPANY.
O'CONNELL moved the third reading of the
!um] Steam-
packet Bill. He said it was not very
'41,1 that the third reading of a Bill should be pro-
tired by other than the member who had be n
arged with its progress, but he did so because Le
gh4gbt the subi et was one of much importance, and one
ie! he should
e should himself have introduced to the House had
he not been so much occupied with Committees. Active
tr,
iean' had been used to render an unusual attendance of
,Mbers at that early hour, hut he hoped the House would
Rive the Bill a patient consideration, and decide upon it
:din gto its tnerits. He feared that something b-yond
Z'''ata interest had prevailed, and that national hostility
it been enlisted against the Bill.—(Cries of no, and
elt.) Well, he thought so, and could prove it. The
limited objection to the Bill was because it provided for
responsibility ; but this was already admitted by an
rialla statute, which permitted its existence in all companies
w
n'eobjectwas not that of retail trade. And that statute had
been of so much service to Ireland, that mmy men of
England
knowledge regretted that it was not applicable to
also. The Dublin Steam Packet Company had
;-'ll established upon that statute, but, wishing to have
Privilege of suing and being sued, without being
'',iged to have recourse to courts of equity, which all men
Relied to avoid--(Hear, hear)—wishing to have that
Ilth'ilege, the Company obtained a Bill in that House in
428 ; and they now wanted merely an addition of
1;1000/. to their capital, for the purpose of carrying the
anginal Bill into effect —(Hear, hear.) Surely no man
/paid insist that, because of this there should be any
kiteration in the framework of the Bill as it
41t°°(1.—(Hear, bear.) When the present Bill was
%alit in it was met with a spirit of rivalry and hosti-
lit -
NY by other companies located on the Thames and on the
and after some opposition it was determined to ax-
'l e9t these two rivers, by a special clause, from the opera-
tlna of the Bill ; but when the Government became pos.
tMkd of this information it very properly objected to
interference of any private interests with a matter
4 Public benefit, and the clause excepting the Clyde and
'4O Thames was struck out. The opposition to the BM
*4 now renewed. The House should know that before
be establishment of this Company, the river Shannon,
h Which was in many places expanded by extensive lakes,
.41 never been properly sounded, so as to be made pro.
~
„.r`,led
thy navigable without risk; and that this Company had
47 proper soundings to he made, and already produced
„nett improvement in the navigation of the river ;
that flour which was now ground in Limerick found its
wa,
44 oy water direct to Liverpool. It was necessary that
t-e Improvements should be completed, and that quays
'auld be erected at various parts of the river, to enable
the farmer to bring down his produce, and to permit pas-
i.i'agers to be landed from the steamers. As it was, many
'raters had now to cart their produce morethan a distance
4, 15 or 18 miles, although their farmsteads were within
ii(lnarter 'of a mile of the river.—(Hear, hear, hear.)
inig was in consequence of the shores being composed of
alluvial soil. Hon. Gentlemen should ao understand the
•h object of the Bill, which was to render this beautiful
hoer fully available to the people of Ireland, as not to per-
mit it to he thrown asi,le by any jealous feeling.
?gr. SPEAKER said, the Hun. Member for Dublin
:elated to have his mind impressed with an inference that
:1111sual eagerness had been manifested in fixing the third
reading of the Bill for that day; hut such was not the cafe.
lifter explaining the arrangements which had been made,
e Right lion. Gentleman assured the Hon. and
I.Learned Member fir Dublin, that they bad been made at
1s (Air. Speaker's) suggestion, and that it did not flow
nrn either party.
1), Air. O'CONNELL wis pleased to find that he had
~411 mistaken tin this point, and declared he was con-
i4iced that what the Speaker had done must have been done
-1'
a Perfect spirit of fairness and impartiality.
Sir M. S. STEWART had heard with deep regret the ob-
aes
vations of the Hon. Member for Dublin, imputing national
'te.4tetisy as a cause of opposition to the Bill. He most empha-
-1,4111Y disclaimed any such feeling on his own part. The
no
use col linty bore the appearance of having been canvassed,
but it was not difficult to see in whose favour the canvass
1,4 most likely to be. He considered that the Bill of
OS should not be brought forward as a precedent,
eatise it was an exceedingly vicious one, as far as regarded
limitation of liability. With respect to capital, 225,000/.
,as the amount then conceded, with a clause to the effect
there should be no addition to tat amont. But the
before the House, in direct contrahventionu to that clause,
ed an addition of 74,0001. He opposed the Bill on this
I,:unt, and also on the principle that all companies should
Cve a fair stage and no favour. If the Bill was intended as an
:ilProvement of th, river Shannon, why was it not confined to
at river ? He had received a letter from the Right Hon.
~tulett Thomson, in consequence of that gentleman being
unable to attend in his place that morning, by which he learned
that the Board of Trade opposed this Bill in consequence of
its limited responsibility. He moved as an amendment that
thet Bill be read that day six months.
Air. RICHARDS--The House could not be satisfied with
they did not at all go to show that the Bill would be of any
t,nliary to the public. The fact was, it would be of public
enefit. It was stated in a report on the state of the River
Shannon, hi 1S:30, that these very improvements alluded to
ey 2
the Hon. Member for Dublin were necessary, so that in
7°l:rioting this Bill Hon. Members could not be charged with
o'''Thoting anew or unnecessary object. He would ask, could any
ite doubt that improving the Shannon would be of benefit
c'/ the country? recollected also that the report men-
t:'ned some of the improvements then carrying on by
spirited conduct of this very Company—(Cheers)—and tne
111 ought to be supported upon public grounds.
O'CONNOR DON said, Mr. Grant, when President of the
'ataird of Trade, had given his assent to the Bill, which was
then only opposed by two subscribers of the Company. At
that time it was wished, that instead of 225,000/., the capital
should have been 300,000/., which would have enabiel the
th 4,Pany fully to carry into effect their improvements of
I.° Shannon.—(Hear, hear.) To that the Honourable
,leiriber for Dublin had stated he would add that
it Roscommon, when they wanted goods from Dublin, al-
th
-ugh they were only four miles from the river Shannon,
„
"'eSe goods were obliged to be brought round by Sligo, making
haunnecessary circuit of forty miles. He could not see
°W the House could refuse a Bill of this kind, which only
irked for a small proportion of addition to the capital sub.
'yribea,—(Hear, hear.)
51r. E. TENNANT seconded the amendment, which, he
'vn4id assure the Hon. Member for Dublin, he did not do on
b 'ttional grounds, but because it was opposed to the interests
aphis constituents. The Bill of ISA was only passed after
,-1°513 and arduous debate, on which occasion the increase of
tread
by 75,000/. was expressly refused, and the capital in-
ind of being 300,0001. was confined to 225,000/. If the object of
Hon. Members for Dublin and Roscommon, was the
'Provement of the river Shannon, and they would bring in
8111 for that purpose, he would cheerfully support it—
gear)—but the present Bill interfered with free trade, and
,
-Nd only be supported on specious pretences.
Dr. BALDWIN would support the Bill, provided a clause
mere introduced compelling the Company to lay out a certain
44a of money in improving the navigation of the Shannon.
k, Col. CONOLLY could not understand how Hon m . Mebers
1"415 complain that sufficient attention was not paid to Ireland
that House when there was to be found among them those who
tntiers not ready to give their support to a Bill which would pro-
and If Hon. Members wished to serve Ireland, they should sue-
t'tt such a Bill as this, which was a first step towards her im-
'4ement and relief.—(Cheers.) Hon. Members should
i!ttleMber that such was the state of Ireland, so great was
ti't Want of capital in that country, that 74,000/. there would
t° more good than the expenditure of 150,000/. in this
i,%lntry.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Ireland wanted every
4thing that could be bestowed upon her, and he wondered
k:1 hear of the inferred opposition of the Honourable Member
110 fast, Its Ireland there were already many canals, which
ere waiting for the Improvement of the Shannon, before they
be made available; and ho entreated the Hon. Members
;ill° represented Irish ports to withdraw their opposition.
the lion. Members for Dublin and Roscommon had stated
the condition of the Shannon, and the obstacles offered to
141 Proper intercourse on the banks of that river. This
:could fully confirm from his own knowledge, and his sole
in supporting the Bill was with a view to improve the
t't4ntry, and so take the best step towards relieving her dis.
tPses. He hoped the House was satisfied that he belonged
no party—(Hear, hear)—and he trusted that it would
Cibrace this opportunity of conferring a benefit upon
41and—(Cheers.)
Sir 11. VIVIAN, in supporting the Bill, observed that he
irlt quite certain that the Vice-President of the Board of Trade,
he knew as much of the state of Ireland as he did, would
NT give his opposition to the Bill.
tOla.ior BEOUCLERK being of opinion that the effect of
WOuld Bill would be to destroy the trade in the Irish Channel,
give it his most sincere opposition.
4171% F. O'CONNOR suggested the propriety of adjourning
by' debate for the purpose of introducing the clause proposed
the Had. Member for Cork, making it compulsory on the
I)l4qany to expend 74,0001. on the improvement of the
tq 44. O'CONNELL said he was authorised by the Company
say that they would bring up a clause making it imperative
$1 them to lay out 74,000/. on the improvement of the
Armen.
‘ 1r• W. ROCHE supported the third reading of the Bill.
th :I r, HUME thought the debte should be adjourned till
I,;elause proposed by the Hon. Member for Cork should be
r '''iticed, as many Members were willing to withdraw their
Position to the Bill.