The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-28 00:00:00

anent would not expire till that time. He begged to
1.0:„ .s an amendment, to leave out all the words after the
ss'4, Committee," for the purpose of inserting these words
.consider, first, the subject of steam communications,
tug: for its object a line or lines connecting India, Eng-
tiS4.a
s d Australia, and to report to the douse the most lit-
ras)de in which' such communication may be effected,
do e care to economy, and with advantage to the public
sstet s; and afterwards, to inquire into the question of the
i ; steam communications between England and India,
itisO report whether any improvements may be made in
e,"°tl duct of those communications, previous to the grant
there ontract to any company proposing to carry on
oCt "
k% DEULEY seconded the amendment.
C. GLADSTONE admitted the importance of the clues-
SYut drmbted the propriety of departing from the usual
sZ of tying up the hands of the Committee. The Conn-
lvtsen they met would be the best judges as to the
Ism° of pro'edure, and he should suggest to the Noble
Hl ether he had not better withdraw the amendment.
eels.
.:
F,COTT hoped that none of the contracts would be
c 1 from the consideration of the Committee.
ittr. MACGREGOR regretted thet some measure had not
it itroduced by the Government on the subject. Ales
VII ad occurred there was some chance of the American
siert) rnent taking up the question of steam communica-
tslllth Australia; but he would rather see our own Gu-
ll; lesat taking up the matter.
tis;s• 'tIUAIE thought that more attention ought to be
tel' :to what had fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman
tt7se tuber for Oxford. He would advise the Noble Lord
117 ' press his amendment.
-'" • ANDERSON said it was with reluctance he took
1.11 rt in the debate, as he had in some respects a personal
Ori; ea' tin the matter. As a director of the Peninsular and
Old Company he felt he should not be doing bis duty if '
wed the statement of the Noble Lord who introduced
ktd4 uesti on to pass uncontradicted. The Noble Lord had
$4 t letter from the Bengal Chamber of Commerce as to
!tett irrs.gularity and accommodation of the company's
1e• •s. To that letter an answer had been sent contain-
1' v ery satisfactory contradiction.
f • CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought they
all agreed that a Committee should be appointed. He
Eta a not admit that he was bound to enter into a contract
Ily irrespective of the expense. His duty was to obtain
.best and cheapest communication. Since last year he
It I called for tenders for a part of the service, but not one of
sa'al was worth the acceptance of the Government. He
eed with the Rislat Hon. Gentleman the Member for Ox-
tthat there was no necessity for the amendment, as it
41d be in the power of the Committee to take first what
iort..to.a of the question they pleased. It was impossible, he
considering
from; ius this question, to separate
.one part
communicationy the
another.
The whole hue must
kt.si)cia idered, and therefore the amendment would actually
1/474-I,e the inquiry of the Committee, for it would exclude
Qlwelaich was of great importance to the Australian colo-
-t he consideration of establishing communication be-
sie:o. them and India and China. He should therefore ad-
L.t e Noble Lord to withdraw the motion, and should
gge t that a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into
(Ls ibject 'of steam communication between India and
'ut and also as to the best mode of facilitating steam
amication with the Australian colonies.
tt It count JOCELYN thought the suggestion would meet
.ews. He agreed it would be unwise to fetter the Com-
lit
r, CARDWELL suggested whether it would not be
r to add words to the motion, so as to include all our
c`lll. it.s and commercial stations at the Antipodes. He
Ittissh t if that Committee was appointed there should be an
tit; n lade against refusing to examine anybody. It would
tisst .oment to insert words which would include the Mau-
istn . and all the other colonies approached by our eastern
tioot HUME did not entirely approve of the latter sugges-
Tit
e CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEftUER considered
sod,(l rds which he had
.used were sufficiently large to in-
t very route that nate ht be adopted.—(Hear.)
Is! 'T. ACLAND wished to know whether the words were
;:' enough to inelude a matter in which the constituents
is ge Hon. Member for Liverpool were deeply interested—
,,,`" cant the point of final departure. The Hon. Baronet
si'lth into a detail of the mail arrangements between the
tsis -west of England and London and Southampton, and
kts adeci that it was of great importance to all parties to
seve.n or RlGurs in the transmission of letters.
telf; F.: T. BN said, that it would be throwing upon
(0' Strimittee a matter which would much delay their report.
trt: In mission had been already appointed, which would do
ku 41E was necessary upon the subject.
f. ADDERLEY said they were by no means agreed
.the manner in which that inquiry was to be con-
'd • They migh agree that it was important and useful
is e colonies generally to enter upon such an inquiry, and
trOo w how best the communication with the whole
Lth e world should be carried on ; but whether
/1 ilia was to be included at the fag-end or appen-
'of that inquiry was quite another matter. Who
qtfor that inquiry? Certainly not the colony. It was
Vv. :Sght Hon. Gentleman opposite alone (the Chancellor
Noe, Exchequer), who wanted to get himself out of a diffi-
teke e:eape.—(Order, Oh, oh.) The point upon which they
not agree was that Australia should be put at the
k')ls,d of the inquiry, and he would therefore ask the
5 Member for King's Lynn to give them the assurance
11"‘„ it would be taken first and not last. He would suggest
e Noble Lord the Member for Kildare (Lord Naas) not
ft is his amendment.
DIVETT said it would be utterly impossible to do
till'!e to the Australian colonies on that matter without a
tad complete inquiry. He knew the Chancellor of the
kir hesatter was most anxious to secure a proper communi-
kk, Jr. between this country and the colonies, and would have
ty,eeded before now but for the opposition of the East
k'itt Company. The route from Singapore to the Swan
tier had been overlooked, but it possessed great advan-
0, though not yet fully approved of by the people of Syd-
lie conceived the attack made by the Hon. Member
Lsloreh Staffordshire (Mr. Adderley) on the Right Hon.
Otlernin the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir C. Wood)
7.. ex tamely unjust and uncalled for.—(Hear, hear.)
ltilu,;(1 JOCELYN said he could not give any assurance to
11/4,(10 rt. Member for Staffordshire ; but he thought the at-
10,1' wade on the Chancellor of the Exchequer most uncalled
J:t was he (Lord Jocelyn) who had moved for the Com-
134‘erx, and he had no communication with the Right Hon.
°' set until within the last two or three days. He was fully
t°irzced that Australia formed a most important portion of
kis:Proposed inquiry, but yet he could not agree to the pro-
tltio n of the Hon. Member,
Oord NAAS would not divide the House on his amend-
PRINSEP feared, if all the matters suggested were in-
psi into, the investigation would last a very long time.
CAGLIONBY said all were equally interested in pro-
: the best possible communication between this country
India, and our most distant colonies. In conclusion he
iiiiiosed that the words " New Zealand" should be added to
LArroposed amendment.
)rd JOCELYN said that place was included in the
14), Lima route.
AGLIONBY wished the words he proposed to be in-
.led.
alien
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—He had
q eh no notice of that Committee, neither had be put Australia
o„,the fag-end of the inquiry.—(Hear, hear.) Whatever
Colon he might entertain, the question did not rest with
ris.. • (Hear hear.) With regard to the Hon. Member for
th`Orordshire'he had done more injury to the communication
ell any one else.
Is„4fter a short discussion Mr. Aglionby's words were in-
eted'in the resolution, and the whole agreed to without a
NVision.
SPANISH DUTIES ON BRITISH SHIPPING.
Ors ANDERSON then rose to move " That, with a view
hEI just protection of British navigation and commerce, it
IseXspedient that under the provisions of the Act 12th and
tee
Viet., c. 25, such additional duties should be levied in
ke Ports of the British empire upon goods imported or ex-
,sted in Spanish ships, and on the tonnage of such ships, as
serve to countervail the differential duties on goods and
rki nage levied in the ports of Spain and her dependencies on
tisb, ships."
HOME (interrupting the lion. Member) said he
li,Lthed to save his Hon. Friends some trouble. If that was a
kale
to take into consideration matters connected with
dele and commerce, was he not obliged to have the sanction
'a Minister?
to''the SPEAKER said, if the motion made was intended to
chide with leave to bring in a Bill, then the Hon. Mem-
ir for Montrose might be right, but as it was, the Hen.
ember was in order. (Hear.)
oosar. M. GIBSON said, if an increase of taxation was pro-
oughtdought not such to have the sanction of the Minister?
411 e SPEAKER said it might be moved in a Committee of
te.whole House; the object of the present motion, however,
Was different.
114t'. ANDERSON then proceeded with his motion. It
ight be necessary that he should, in the first place, ex-
"toot the meaning of the term differential duties. They
Leant duties not imposed for the purposes of revenue, but
em I give one country a monopoly in the shipping trade over
triellr other. In-that respect Spain had a greater monopoly
ss on any other country in the world, and its conduct to-
zards our shipping had become a great practical grievance.
he Honourable Member then referred to and read some
tXtracts from the petition which he had presented, com-
Naining of the great extent of the impost levied in Spanish
tests upon British ships. He would then proceed to con-
ast the treatment which British ships received in Spanish
Aorta with that which Spanish ships received in British
Ports. In one place the differential duties were one-third
chore. In Cuba the import duties on British vessels were
'torn 21 to 30 per cent., while on Spanish vessels they only
I,ertennted to from 17 to 21 per cent., and the export duties
ere on British ships 41es per cent., while on Spanish ships
;4ley were only 217( per cent. Under that highly pro-
sgctive system the Spanish ships were notoriously among
Vie. most deficient in the world. He had himself known an
instance in which a Spanish vessel and an English vessel
ad entered the port of Ramsgate together; but as Spanish
,easels not only did not proceed to sea in unfavourable
Weather, but were kept waiting for several days even in fine
Heather
for the purpose of ascertaining that that weather was
,tst/sed the English vessel went to Bilboa, ad on her return
tic.,.'ond the Spanish vessel still in the harbour of Ramsgate.
from had himself employed a Spanish ship to carry salt fish
'`Sorn. the Shetland Islands to Bilboa, and she had been
three months on the voyage just about the time that a good
English vessel would spend on the passage to Calcutta.—
Soltear, hear.) The shipowners of this country were corn-
?ailed to submit to theSe differential duties, although we had
14111sitted Spanish vessels into our ports on the same terms as
those of other nations. In the Navigation Act of last ses-
ssoo there were provisions calculated, in his opinion, to meet
that grievance. By the 10th and 11th clauses of that Act it
Was provided, that if British vessels were subjected in any
ii,()re,lgls country to prohibitions or restrictions, it should be
1:tol for her Majesty, by an order in council, to impose in
;1111tis such restrictions as her Majesty might deem fit on the
thiPs of that foreign country entering our harbours; and
"t, if any partiality were shown in a foreign country
tgainst tsritish vessels, it should be lawful for her Majesty
an order in council, to impose in British ports
countervailing disadvantages on the ships of that
4:)tliatry. We had several treaties with Spain, of which the
st, he believed, was that of the year 1653, providing that
stz! evessels should enjoy in the Spanish ports as extensive
iS3",tivileges, liberties, and immunities as the vessels of any
f.'ller country whatever. Now Spain had violated those
breaties. She had given to French vessels the privilege of
he on the coasting trade of Spain, while she had refused.
1e Same privilege to our shipping. The tariff of Spam bad
aht.elar a
been changed, and the differential duties against our
'Prang had b en increased; and the result of that had been
great falling off in the amount of British tonnage, at the
Port of Alicante among others. lie, as a British ship-
°Waer, was perfectly ready to run the risk of the conse-
quences of a repeal of our navigation laws, and he had
,
icrven his support to that measure in opposition to the
jinion of the great majority of the members of his
'lvo class. But while he was ready as a British ship-
Zwner, to run the risk of competition with the foreigner,
se asked for fair pluy, and that he might be subjected to
2to unjust obstruction. The Hon. Member concluded by so
eole nding his motion, that it proposed that the House should
resolve itself into a Select Committee, for the purpose of
Co
nsidering the subject he had brought under their notice.
The SPRAYER said that the
.110. Member could not