The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-16 00:00:00

THB SUN: -AJONDOIi, FRIDAY E V EM:O4-0; MARCH 16, 1860,

THIRD EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF I:DRIBS—Mrs EVENING.)
MC LORD CRINCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
st five o'clock.

THE DIVORCE ACT.
The Earl of WICKLOW presented a petition from Dub
lin, 'praying that the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act
might be extended t• Ireland.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a petition
from Dr. Cahill to a similar effect. He did not wish to see
the law extended to Ireland, but he thought something ought
to be done to enable parties residing in Ireland to come
to this country, and avail themselves of the provisions of
the Divorce Act.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said when he was
amending the bill, he introduced a clause enabling Irish
Protestants to coma to England and avail themselves of
the act, which clause was supported by all the Irish peers
in the house, but it was struck out of the bill in its pro-
gress through the ether house.
NAPLES. _ _

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH drew the attention of
their lordships to the present state of affairs at Naples. It
seemed to be clear that affairs could not continue in their
present state, and as a great number of English ships were
in the Bay of Naples he should like to know what were the
instructions given to the officer in command of those ships,
and whether in the event of the King being driven to ask
for protection it would be afforded.
Tke Duke of SOMERSET said there were no special in-
structions. The ships were sent there merely for the pur-
pose of protecting persons persecuted by the Neapolitan
Government.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said, then he was to
understand that the officer in command would only be called
upon to act on the dictates of common humanity.
Lord ZEDESDALE said he should like a more explicit
answer. He was sure it never could be intended that a
person guilty of high treason should escape punishment
and receive protection on board those ships.
The Earl of MALMESBURY also thought it was de-
sirable there should be some further explanation.
The Duke of SOMERSET said, in acting as he had
done he was only following out the precedent adopted in
countries which had been in a state of revolution.
The Earl of DERBY said there had been no insurrection
or rebellion. There was no overt disagreement between the
King and his Sicilian subjects.
Earl GREY defended the course adopted- in the pre-
sent aspect of affairs 4t Naples it was impossible to know
whether it would be necessary to afford protection to per-
sons merely asking it. The mere dictates of humanity
might demand it.
The subject then dropped.
SAVOY AND NICE.

The Earl of CARNARYON called attention to the
telegram received from Turin, stating that arrangements
had been made between the King of Sardinia and the
Emperor Napoleon for the cession to the latter of Savoy
and Nice. He pointed out the difference between the tele-
gram and the despatches which had been written by M.
Thouvenel, and asked whether the Government wore in
possession of any information which would throw a light
upon the extraordinary circumstance.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said the question was most
extraordinary, and protested against the practise of asking
questions in that house upon telegrams published in the
newspapers. The despatch to which the noble lord more par-
cularly referred to had only been received at the Foreign-
office within the last 24 hours, and he must really be ex-
cused from entering upon a discussion of its contents. The
Government, he was sure, could not be accused of keeping
any information on an important subject from the know-
ledge of the house.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said the noble duke was
quite justified in the answer he had given, and declining to
enter into a discussion on the subject of a despatch which
had been but recently received. He thought the noble
duke was rather hard upon his noble friend, who had merely
asked for information.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the following
bills were read a third time and passed :—Belfast, Holy-
rood, and Bangor Railway, Newry, Warrenpoint, and
Rostrevor Railway, Portadown, Dungannon, and Ormagh
Junction Railway, Maidstone Water, and Brompton,
Chatham, and Gillingham Water.
IRISH CONSTABULARY.

In reply to the Marquis of CLANRICARDE,
Tho Duke of NEWCASTLE said it was undesirable
to change the constabulary of Ireland into soldiers.
(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENINO.)
The SPEAKER took the ohair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Liskearn Water Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The following bills were considered and read a third
time :—Glasgow Corporation Water, Metropolitan Rail-
way,:Ness and Beauly Fisheries, and North London Rail-
way.
MISREPRESENTATION OF MR. COBDEN'S
POLITICAL SENTIMENTS.
Mr. BRIGHT drew the attention of the house to a per-
sonal matter having reference to his hon. friend the mem-
ber for Rochdale. The hon. member for North War-
wickhire had made a statement in a speech on the
budget, in which he attributed to Mr. Cobden, being
influenced in regard to the commercial treaty by his leaning
towards the policy of the Emperor of the French. That
statement was made upon the authority of a Manchester
paper notoriously hostile to Mr. Cobden. He (Mr. Bright)
had received a letter from Mr. Cobden disavowing alto-
gether the sentiments attributed to him, and requesting him
to ask Mr. Newdegate to retract his assertions.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said that there were some inaccu-
racies in the report of his speech on the occasion alluded
to. At the time he made the statement complained of, he
had read a letter in the Manchester Guardian attributing
to Mr. Cobden the political sentiments which he considered
him to have entertained. However, he did not rest his
opinions on that letter, for he considered that Mr. Cobden
had for years advocated institutions which were not free
institutions. The bon. member hereread the letter in ques-
tion, as well as extracts from various speeches delivered by
Mr. Cobden during some years past.
After a few remarks from Mr. BRIGHT, the subject
dropped.
CHURCH RATES.
Lord J. RUSSELL presented a bulky petition from the
Dissenting ministers of London against the continuance
of church rates.
THUNDERSTORM AT BELGIUM, &c.
Mr. FREELAND asked the First Commissioner of
Works whether his attention had been called to a despatch
from our Minister at Brussels, dated the 24th February
last, stating that on the preceding Sunday a violent thun-
derstorm, accompanied by an unprecedentedly heavy fall of
snow, had overspread Belgium, that twelve churches had
been simultaneously struck by lightning, and that three of
them had been totally destroyed, and others much injured.
Whether he had seen a paragraph in the Times of
August, 1857, stating that the flag-tower of Windsor
Castle had been struck by lightning, and that about four
tons of the parapet had been displaced ; and whether any
provision had been made, or is to be made, for securing the
public buildtngs which are under the control of the Board
of Public Works against such injuries or destruction by
lightning, as have occurred at Windsor castle and in
Belgium ?
Mr. COWPER said that his attention had been drawn
to the accident in Belgium, but he saw no reason to depart
from the usual custom in respect to adopting additional
means for securing public buildings from accidents by
lightning, as such would be attended with ccnsiderable
expense. With regard to Windsor Castle, the damage
alluded to had been repaired at a cost of 308. (A laugh.)
INDIAN MILITARY MEDICAL OFFICERS.
Mr. BAZLEY asked the Secretary of State for India,
whether the medical officers of her Majesty's Indian Army
have had all the privileges conceded to them which the
royal warrant of Ist day o Oct., 1858, entitled them to re-
ceive ?
Sir C. WOOD was understood to answer in the affirma-
tive.

TOLL GATES.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department whether it was the intention of her
Majesty's Government to introduce any measure, during
the present session, on the subject of the toll gates in the
neighbourhood of the metropolis, in consequence of the
report of the Royal Commission thereon ?
Mr. CLIVE said that inquiries on the subject were in
progress, and that he could not at present supply the infor-
mation required.
form aikd er relative
.ot i
t.
h Get
to
subject,
33 theso oyster
b saidu
tfishery.
hthatohad
OYSTER FISHERIES.
Mr. CAVE asked the President of the Board of Trade a
occa-
sion there were no papers of an
question respecting certain papers which had been moved
the part of that State on they
,sthere.uusstbeajtetecodht
b.aoednl
aabiedveronenvnitohouesmotiontab le
With reference to France, there had been no remonstrance
LFATEasSkHedOtRheELSor(dSCAOdTvoLcAatNe
whether
on
trustees in the count
made by the Crownyto the foreshores Mr. FIN
of Argyll,
certain proprietors and road
the property of the solum orr ground )ether he had
received a memorial from
highw-waterhmatarreks;ulN: h; eatnhde hado complaining
the
seashores
ao
sf
htohree
sclaimsup t
to
municated with the Commissioners ofl
of Scotland, and to
to the property of the whole e ifs Sbcynodtthl Scotland Crownree°wsn itas-
made in accordance with the advice and opinion of the law
officers of the Crown in Scotland ?
whether
foreshores t the consequence,ela.eoi.
The LORD-ADVOCATE said he had received the
memorial in question, and explained that the Crown bad
been advised by the law officers of Scotland
in regard to the
subject.
PARLIAMENTARY
REPRESENTATION (SCOT-
In answer to Sir J. FERGUSSON,
The LORD ADVOCATE considered that the hon. mom-
ber should have postponed his question till Monday, when
the bill would be brought before the house. He would ob-
serve, however, that the details of the proposed reform could
be understood from the bill.
CHINA.
Lord J. RUSSELL laid on the table of the house papers
relating to China.
THE ARMY ESTIMATES.
In reply to an Hort. MEMBER,
Mr. S. HERBERT said that the army estimates would
be brought forward same day before Easter.
ADJORNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Mr. LAING moved that the house at its rising do ad •
journ until Monday.
THE DEAD BODY DISCOVERED IN KENT.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked the Home Secretary if his
attention had been called to the fact that the body of a man,
of the name of Thomas called. Ken, recently found dead in the
woods near Seal, inKent, was interred without any inquest
being held upon it ; and what steps had been taken in con-
sequence. The hon. member entered
ative into
to the a statement of
the circumstances already published l deceased.
Mr. MILDMAY drew attention to the differences that
prevailed between magistrates and coroners in reference to
the fees of tho latter, which he contended operated inj
uri-
ously in respect to the holding of inquests as in the present
T Mr. OLIVE explained that the Home-Offic.efference had power
aro.se between them and magistrates, all that Government
could do was to introduce a bill on the subject, which they
had done, and that bill had been referred to a
select committee. The coroner for the district where
case.
_ Ito compel coroners to hold inquests. In any
difference war
the event in question took place had been written to, and
replied that the man had wandered in the woods, having
iweviously left his booti at a house where he was staying,
(`- ."' w 0441 mmol4 for believing that he had of a
and theL,.

fit. The last statement he believed to be a gratuitous
assumption. The coroner also alluded to the uncertainty
of coroners receiving thelr fees in the county of Kent.
Mr. DEEDES defended the oonduet of the magistrates
in Kent, and contended that no difficulties were thrown in
the way of inquests in that county.
INDIAN PRINCES AND INDIAN GOVERNORS.

In answer to Mr. SmoLLETT,
Sir C. WOOD said that he no objection to lay on the
table all the papers on the subject, and vindicated the con-
duct of Lord Dalhousie.

(LIFT SITTING.)

LONDON GAZETTE--(THIS EVENIN6.)

DOWNING-STREET, MARCH 13.
The Queen has been Dleased to 'appoint James Walker,
Esq., to be Lieutenant-governor of the Island of Trinidad
and its Dependencies.
Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint John
Creighton, Esq., to be s Member of the Legislative Council
of the Province of Novi Scotia.

FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 21.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Arun-
del Mackenzie, Esq., to be her Majesty's Consul at Geneva.
FEB. 25.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Sir
Robert Fraser Turing, Bart., now British Vice-Consul at
Rotterdam, to be her Majesty's Consul at Rotterdam.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint
Charles John Calvert, Esq., now her Majesty's Consul at
Salonica, to be her Majesty's Consul at Monastir:
The Queen has also bee graciously pleased to appoint
Richard Wilkinson, Esq., jun., now British Vice-Consul
at Durazzo, to be her Majesty's Consul at Salonica.
MARCH 3.
_ _ _ . .

The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint James
Grignon, Esq., now her Majesty's Consul at Portland, to
be her Majesty's Consul in the Canary Islands.
The Queen has also been graciously pleased to appoint
Henry John Murray, Esq., now her Majesty's Consul in
the Canary Islands, to be her Majesty's Consul at Port-
land.

MARCH 15.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of Don Eduardo
San Just as Consul at Sydney for her Majesty the Queen
of Spain.
WAR- OFFICE, PALL-MALL, MARCH 16.
2d Regiment of Life Guards—Comet and Sub-Lieutenant
Charles Bruce Knight Alleyne has been permitted to re-
tire from the Service by the sale of his Commission.
6th Dragoon Guards—William Edward Dakin, Gent., to be
Cornet, by purchase, vice Gair, promoted ; Arthur Jones,
Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Blackett, who has
retired.
Ist Dragoons—Charles Leveson Lane, Gent., to be Cornet,
by pnrehase, vice Caldwelj, promoted.
6th Dragoons—Lieutenant Frederick Barclay Chapman to
be Captain, by purchase, vice Edward Finch Dawson,
who retires ; Cornet John Baskerville to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Chapman.
16th Light Dragoons—Charles Carrington Churckward,
Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Winthrop, ap-
pointed to the 15th Light Dragoons.
Coldstream Guards—Captain the Hon. George Herbert
Windsor-Clive, from the 62d Foot, to be Lieutenant and
Captain, vice Adair, who exchanges.
sth Regiment of Foot—Assistant-Surgeon. Julius Wiles,
from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Cameron,
deceased.
11th Foot—Arthur William Ball, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Irwin, promoted.
13th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Thomas Mitchell O'Brien,

from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice kirwan;
who exchanges.
16th Foot—George Ramsay Alured Denne, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Taylor, promoted.
17th Foot—Captain John Bellamy, from the 2d West India
Regiment, to be Captain, vice Davidson, who exchanges.
25th Foot—Ensign John Talbot Coke, fron the 21st Foot,
to be Ensign ; William Lisle Blenkinsop Coulson, Gent.,
to be Ensign, by purchase. The appointment of Ensign
Henry Wilkinson to be Quartermaster has been ante-
dated to 30th December, 1859.

34th Foot—John Olphert' Gage, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vita Jordan, promoted.
37th Foot—Lieutenant Samuel Hawkes to be Adjutant,
vice Bunn, who resigns the Adjutancy only.
46th Foot—Ensign Stewart James Carlow to be Lieute-
nant, without purchase, vice Hamond, promoted ; En-
sign Charles B. C. Speke to be Lieutenant, without pur-
chase, vice Coucher, deceased.
49th Foot—Edward Roberts, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Ald worth, promoted.
52d Foot—Lieutenant and Captain Alexander Wm. Adair,
from the Coldstream Guards, to be Captain, vice the Hon.
G. H. W. Windsor-Clive, who exchanges.
73d Foot—Anderson James Ashmore, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Gaiwey, promoted.
75th Foot —John Ormsby Moore Vandeleur, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Tarby, who retires. The re
signation of Assistant-Surgeon Robert Woods, as stated
in the Gazette of Feb. 21, 1860, has been cancelled.
79th Foot--Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Grove, from half-
pay Unattached, to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Brevet-
Colonel Sir John Douglas, K.C.8., who exchanges;
Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Bromhead Butt to
he Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice Grove, who re-
tires ; Brevet-Major Keith Ramsay Maitland to be Ma-
jor, by purchase, vice Butt; Lieutenant John Edward
. Allen to be Captain, by purchase, vice Maitland; Ensign
William Henry McCausland to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Allen.
BTth Foot—Assistant-Surgeon William Armstrong, from
the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Collins, who ex-

changes.
100th Foot—Augustus Frederick Tanner, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice Moorsom, promoted.
2d West India Regiment—Captain Frederick Augustus
Davidson, from the 17th Foot, to be Captain, Nice Bel-
lamy, who exchanges.
RECRUITING DlSTRlCT.—Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet-
Colonel Alfred H. Horsford, C. 8., from the Rifle Bri-
gade, to be Inspecting Field-officer, vice Brevet-Colon&
David Russell, C. 8., placed on the Staff as a Brigadier•

C encred.
UNATTACIIED.—Lieutenant John Evans, from the 88th
Foot, to be Captain, without purchase.
HOSPITAL STAFF.—Assistant-Surgeon Charles John Kir-
wan, from the 13th Foot, to be Assistant •Surgeon to the
Forces, vice O'Brien, who exchanges ; Assistant-
Surgeon John Collins, M.D., from 87th Foot, to be
Assistant-Surgeon to the Forces; vice Armstrong, who
exchanges.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at the usual hour.

THE BALLOT.
Lord TEYNHAM presented petitions from Tavistock,
Truro, Yorkshire, Bodmin: and other places, in favour of
voto by ballot.
CHURCH RATES.
A number of petitions were presented against the aboli-
tion of church-rates.

THIRD READING.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the Grand Sur-
rey Docks and Canal Bill was read a third time and passed.
BENEFIT SOCIETIES RULES AMENDMENT
BILL.
This bill passed through committee, and was reported
without amendments.
THE NEW FRENCH TREATY.
Lord HARDWICKE presented a petition from the
Shipowners' Association of Liverpool, complaining of the
omission in the treaty of any provisions for the satisfactory
regulation of the navigation laws of France.
Lord TAUNTON rose for the purpose of moving that
their lordships agree with the Commons in the address to
her Majesty on the subject of the treaty of commerce with
France, and that the blank in that address be filled. up with
the words "lords spiritualand temporal and." The noble lord
said he could have desired that the task he had undertaken
would have been taken by some other parson of greater
weight in that house than himself, but lm must eayhe Wryer
had a duty to perform more agreeable to his own
feelings. (Hear, hear.) The treaty came before them
under the most favourable circumstances, it hav-
ing received nearly the unanimous sanction of
the Howse of Commons, which; he thought, on that occa-
sion, merely reflected the opinions of the constituents of
the kingdom on the subject. In Lancashire and the Pot-
teries it had been received with the greatest satisfaction,
and that feeling would be increased on its ratification. One
of the great objects sought by the treaty was drawing still
closer the bonds of amity between the two nations. (Hear.)
He would not weary the house with any statistics, but he
might state that England exported less to France than it
did to Holland. Mr. Pitt had devoted the powers of his
great mind to enlarge the intercourse, but war and the
event of the French Revolution had prevented his success.
He thought that one of the greatest preventatives against
war was commerce, and the treaty would increase
our commercial intercourse with France, and therefore act
as an additional security for the maintenance 'of peace. A
short Lillie 98, the ralat ens heseeeen this country and the
United States were in such a conditionethat at, one time
war seemed inevitable, but that calamity was averted by
the intimacy of our commercial intercourse with that great
country. This fact alone would show the impor-
tance of promoting an increase of trade with
France. There had been a strong feeling against the con-
clusion of any commercial treaty, from the fear that when
concessions were once made we should no longer have them
to offer other nations. He fully recognised the fact that the
days for equivalents were gone, but this treaty was not one
that could be objected to on that ground. (Hear.) The prin-
cipal concessions we had made by the new treaty were
necessary for our own sakes. The noble lord here pro-
ceeded to detail the principal points in the treaty, and
proceeded to remark that in the importance of the changes
proposed it was necessary to remember the present state of
the French tariff, by which almost all our manufactures
were heavily taxed with protective duties—a large number
of our staples prohibited altogether. (Hear, hear.)
It had been said that the duty on French wines
and spirits ought not to have been reduced, but he
thought gest the admission of French wines for consump-
tion in this country would be attended with most beneficial
results, by bringing within our reach a substitute for
' the strong adulterated alcoholic drinks that had for years
been largely consumed in this country. (Hear, hear.)
Without entering at length into the financial results
that would follow the completion of the treaty,
he considered that our finances were in such a state as fully
justified the Chancellor of the Exchequer in sacrificing the
revenue derived from the wine duties forth° sake of the bene-
fits their abolition would confer upon England. Reconsi-
dered he ought to touch upon the clause allowing the ex-
portation
of coal about which much had been said.
The stipulation in question is not to put an
export duty on coal for the next ten years. He
must confess ho did not view such a provision with the
alarm that others had done, as he thought
that circumstance ought to be looked upon simply as
an item in a commercial treaty. It had at one time been
asserted that the exportation of coal would hasten the
exhaustion of that mineral in our own country,
but that notion, he thought, had been entirely
abandoned. Then with respect to shipping, he thought
the stipulations of the treaty were decidedly advantageous
to British shipping, as it placed both British and French
ships upon the same footing. He had no fear that the ship-
ping of this country would suffer in the slightest degree by
the making of this treaty. The noble lord concluded by
moving and reading the address, which was in substance
the same as that agreed to by the other house.
The Earl of CORK seconded the adoption of the address.
Earl GREY said he regretted ho could not agree in the
conclusions to which the noble lord whet had preceded him
had come. He begged, however, in the first place, to state
to their lordships that it was far from his intention to offer
any opposition to the tresty being brought into operation.
Much as he disapproved of it, it seemed to him to be too
late at this period of time to attempt to prevent its taking
effect. But the present address was not a stop that was
necessary in order to carry the treaty into operation. The
consent of Parliament was undoubtedly necessary to some
of its provisions, but that assent could oily be given by acts
of Parliament sanctioning the reductions of duty which
were contemplated on the part of this country. Those bills
would no doubt be placed before their lordships, and he
entertained not the slightest question. that their lordships,
acting wisely in accordance with their established rule,
would not appear to meddle with bills involving money
matters sent up to them from the Commons, but would
willingly give them their assent. If that wore done, all
would be accomplished that would be necessary in order to
effectuate the treaty, and he ventured to appeal to the noble
and learned lord upon the woolsack to confirm the truth of
this opinion. But although this address was not required,
in order to give effect to the treaty, its effect would be to
cause their lordships, in the most solemn and formal man-
ner, to express their unqualified approval of this treaty, net
only in its general principles, but in its details, and the
question for their lordships was, whether that House of
Parliament was merely to abstain from any opposition to
the treaty, or whether it was to come forward and delibe-
rately express its approval. (Hear, hear, from the Oppo-
sition benches.) Ile would venture to express to their lord-
ships his reasons for objecting to the latter course; and in
so doing, let him state that he thought this treaty could not
be considered by itself alone. (Hear, hear.) It must be con-
sidered as a most extensive part of the general financial
arrangements of the year. Ile thought he was justified in
saying so, for let him remind their lordships that her Ma-
jesty's Government had taken the somewhat unusual course
of delaying for some days to lay the treaty before Parlia-
ment, although there existed the greatest curiosity as to its
contents. Her Majesty's Government, however, thought it
right to keep it back for a day or two until it could be ex-
plained as forming part of the general financial scheme of
the year. He did not by any means complain of this course,
but he thought it perfectly clear that the treaty was con-
nected with the budget. (Hear, hear.) Now, the budget
imposed upon the country the sacrifice of a very large
amount of revenue ; and before they were prepared to sanc-
tion that they must know how that deficiency was to be
supplied. He therefore made no apology to their lordships
for venturing to trouble them with some remarks upon this
general financial statement which had been adopted by her
Majesty's Government. He begged, however, to reassure
their lordships that, though he was compelled to make
some remarks upon the budget, he should not trouble them
with a long array of figures. Ho should confine himself
to the leading features of the measure, because he could not
but feel that the subject had been treated with a skill and
earnestness that was most conspicuous, in a speech of the
greatest depth and variety, which rendered it clear and in-
teresting to all who had the good fortune to listen to it.
(Hear.) As he could make no pretension to such skill and
eloquence he thought it due to their lordships to omit the
details, and to take only a general view of the financial ar-
rangements of the year. The first remark he would venture
to make was, that the scheme appeared to be an ambitious
one. (Hear.) It began by deliberately incurring thislarge
deficit. Her Majesty's Government proposed that indirect
taxation to the amount of rather more than £3,900,000
should be reduced or entirely abolished. This reduction was
calculated to be met by the increased consumption of some
articles on which the duties are only reduced, and by
the imposition of certain now taxes to the extent
of some £1,800,000, thereby creating a dead loss to revenue
of £2,100,000. This loss arose mainly from the alteration
of the duties upon wines, brandies, and silk. The rest were
comparatively unimportant. And here let him observe that
they were in a position in which theyhad no surplus to dis-
pose of. Therefore, this sum of more than £2,000,000 must
be provided for by ono of two ways—either by anticipating
our resources, directly, or indirectly, in the nature of a loan,
or by new taxation. Now, with regard to changes in taxa-
tion, he (Earl Grey) had been much struck by the forcible
remarks that had been made by a noble lord behind him,
whose experience in these matters were equalled by that of
no member of their lordships' house. He said that changes
in taxation were always attended with inconvenience, in
consequence of the variety of interests involved and the no
cessity of entering into new arrangements ; and considering
the general hardship which ensued from the mere incon-
venience and difficulty of change, he (Eatl Grey) confessed
he thought that a change of taxation ought not to be lightly
and unadvisedly made. No doubt there were occasions when
the form of taxation might be changed with great adean •
tage ; and thoso who recommended the present scheme were
fond of referring to the precedent of 1842. No ono was
snore sensible than he (the noble lord) of the benefits that
had been derived from the commercial policy of that year ;
but. there was not the smallest resemblance between the cir-
cumstances of 1812 and of the present time. (Hear, hear.)
In 1842 there was a considerable deficiency in the exchequer,
and it had not only been proved by experience that the
amount that could be raised by indirect taxation had reached
its maximum, but there were unmistakeable signs that.the
industry and trade ot the country were suffering greatly
from the pressure of the existing restrictions. Accordingly
the policy was commenced—most wisely and yet most cau-
tiously commenced—of remitting indirect taxes by means
of the imposition of an income tax. Ile need net tell their
lordships how successful that 'experiment had turned out ;
but its very success was an argument against
the existence of any necessity for its repetition at the pre.
sent time. (Hear, hear.) For, he would ask, was indirect
taxation any longer burdensome to trade or manufacture,
or had it reached the limits of productiveness ? Far from it.
Every successive year the Chancellor of the Exchequer—
whoever he might happen to be—was enabled to say that
the productiveness of the revenue had exceeded Isis most
sanguine expectations, and so far from the present fiscal
system oppressing the trade of the country, they were con-
gratulated on all sides—and by none more than by her Ma-
jesty's ministers—upon the extraordinary prosperity of our
industry. (Hear, hear.) Now-a-days trade and manufac-
ture appeared to be limited, not by any want of demand, or
by say difficulty in finding a profitable outlet for our pro-
ductions, but by the difficulty of obtaining hands to direct
our machines and raw material for those machines to work
up. (Hear, hear.) Was that a state of things in which it
was necessary to enter upon a hazardous and perilous ex-
periment ? (Cheers.) But they were told there was a rea-
son for the scheme that was now proposed, He must say,
however, that in the whole course of his now pretty long
experience he had never known a reason advanced that was
so purely fanciful. For what was this reason? They were
told that Parliament was bound to repeal a certain amonnt
of indirect taxation because £2,000,000 ©f -Long Annuities
had fallen in. Why they shonld repeal indirect rather than
direct taxation under such circumstances lie confessed ho