The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE.

PACKET AND TELEGRAPHIC CONTRACTS.
This committee met yesterday, when the follow-
ing members were present—Mr. Cobden (in the
chair) Sir H. Willoughby, Mr. Corry, Sir S.
Northcote, Mr. Bazley, Lord Nags, Capt. Vernon,
Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Crawford, Sir F.
Baring, Lord John Manners, and Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Churchward was called and his examination
lasted throughout the entire sitting, and had not
concluded when the committee rose at a quarter-
past four o'clock. In reply to questions by the
chairman, he stated that he hada contract from the
Admiralty for the conveyance of the mails between
Dover and Calais. He had the first contract in
1854. In the course of his contracts he had lost
two vessels. He was in the habit of insuring his
vessels, but not to the full amount of the value. He
could not get the full amount of the vessels in-
sured. He had tried to do so at the Royal Ex-
change, but he had not tried Lloyd's. He had
set up a large establishment at Dover, which
was now in operation, and at which he had
been able to repair Government vessels. He had
been engaged for some time with the French
and Belgian Governments in negotiations for
improving the conveyance of the mails, and suc-
ceeded, in February, 1855, in obtaining a con-
cession from the French authorities with that ob-
ject. Before that time the conveyance of the mails
had been of hardly any benefit to the English or
French country towns. In order to remedy that
deficiency he drew up a plan for improving this
conveyance, which he submitted to the Chambers
of Commerce of the principal towns in the kingdom,
and which was generally approved of. His con-
tract with the Government had not enabled him to
complete the improvements which he contemplated.
He had made an arrangement with the French Go-
vernment for 15 years, and renewed his contract
with the English Government. He had read the
recently-issued report of the Postmaster-General,
and could not agree with that report that the ex-
tension of his contract would fetter the Post-office
in any way. There were 170 boxes of mails now
sent out every fortnight to India and Australia,
and if that number should be increased to 200
boxes, he could not convey them without loss at his
present rate of remuneration. He could nc:t say
when a new arrangement could be entered into
with the Belgian Government, but he thought that
would depend to a great extent on the English
Post-office. The Postmaster-General stated in his
report that it would be better to pay witness for the
work actually done, instead of renewing his con-
tract, but that would not pay him. The sum he
received for his contract was £2,500 a year, for all
special services, and for that sum he was prepared
to continue his contract, risking all contingencies.
In reply to Sir F. Baring, Mr. Churchward said
the principal difficulty he had in completing ar-
rangements with the French Government was
owing to the shortness of the contract with the
English Post-office. He kept three packets specially
for the French service—the Empress, the Queen,
and the Alliance ; but, in point of fact, they were
used for both services, as it was a reciprocal
service. He kept also three packets for the Eng-
lish service--the Vivid, Princess Frederick William,
and the Ondine. It was not the fact that he was
required to keep nine packets for these services ;
his contract required him to keep six packets, and
that number he kept.
In reply to further questions by Sir F. Baring,
Mr. Churchward stated that he had had two pri-
vate letters from Mr. Hamilton, Secretary to the
Treasury, on the subject of the contracts (which he
read); he called frequently at the Admiralty and
at the Treasury on the subject of his contracts; he
asked on these occasions at the Admiralty to see
the superintendent lord (Lord Lovaine), but never
succeeded in having an interview with him. He
did, however, see Mr. Baring, Captain Carnegie,
and Mr. Murray, private secretary to Sir John
Pakington, late First Lord of the Admiralty. At
one of those interviews, shortly before the late
dissolueion of Parliament, he said to Captain
Carnegie there was a good chance for him at
Dover, and if he came down, he (witness) would
be happy to give him all the assistance he could.
He added that all that Captain Carnegie would
have to do would be to fight an opponent with a
very long tongue. (A laugh.) Not a word about
the contract, however, was said upon that occa-
sion.

By Mr. Crawford—He had been connected
actively in elections at Plymouth and Dover. He
had voted for Mr. Bernal Osborne simply because
he was Secretary to the Admiralty, and on the same
ground he would have supported Captain Carnegie.
He originally got the contracts by tendering for
them, as they were advertised in the public papers.
By Sir H. Willoughby—He had entered into
three contracts with the English Government—in
1854, 1855, and 1859.

By Captain Vernon—He was the first person
who undertook the contracts for carrying the mails
after they were given up by the Admiralty, and he
did so at a saving to the country. The vote he
gave at Dover, was partly through personal feeling
and partly because he thought it would not be be-
coming in him to oppose the Government candi-
date.

By Mr. Wilson—The first intimation he had
that the Government intended to give him this
contract was by a direct communication from the
Treasury. He began the erecting of the works at
Dover for repairing packets in 1854; he did so
entirely of his own accord. Of the six packets
which he kept for the mail service, three of them
carried the French flag, and three the English
flag ; the Admiralty had no control over these
packets ; he had the control. He was not anxious
to give up the French contract, nor was he par-
ticularly anxious to retain it. The French Minis-
ter saw an objection to renewing his contract,
owing to the short period of his contract with the
Admiralty.
Mr. Wilson—And yet you were at that time
bound to the French Government by contract till
the year 1870 ?
Mr. Churchwarcl said that was so; but unless he
got an extension of the English contract, he shculd
be obliged to break the French contract, for it did
not pay. He said nothing of that to the French
Minister when he renewed the contract for 15 years,
because he had a reasonable hope that it would
improve in point of remuneration.
The committee adjourned till'Thursday next.

ELECTION ExPENsEs.--The election auditors con-
tinue to make their returns with references to the expenses
incurred by candidates at the late general election. It ap-
pears that at Lincoln Mr. Heneage, M.P., expended £.557
4s. Bd. ; Major Sibthorp, M.P., £432 Os. Bd. ; and Mr. J.
H. Palmer, £312 Os. 11d. Agency cost Mr. Heneage and
Major Sibthorp £157 10s. each, but does not figure in Mr.
Palmer's accounts. At Great Grimsby the expenses of
Lord Worsley, M.P., are returned at £269 145., of which
£147 was paid to agents. A mock opposition was attempted
at Grimsby by a Mr. Parker, whose expenses are put down
at £l5 16s. 3d.
ELECTRIC ORDNANCE.—Mr.. John Calvert, the
mineralogist, has succeeded, after great labour, in the ap-
plication of his discoveries to the purposes of warfare. To
the present destructibility of war appliances we have,
therefore, now to add, through Mr. Calvert, the wonderful
aid of electricity I He states that by one discharge from
his'engine on an " iron ram" five miles distant, it would be
annihilation of all life the vessel contained ; or, on land, his
missile falling in the vicinity of a field -piece, or even a mass
of soldiery carrying musketry, would prove destructive for
20 yards around the point of contact. We hear that our
Government, with usual custom, have shown Mr. Calvert
the " cold shoulder," whereas he has the most cordial invi-
tation to go to Paris."—lining Journal.
GEORGE-YARD RAGGED SCHOOL, WHITECHAPEL.
—The usual quarterly meeting of this institution took place
last evening in the School-room, George-yard, White.-
chapel—the Rev. Hugh Allen, the incumbent, in the
chair. This school is eminently one deserving of the sup-
port of the charitable, it being situated in the very poorest
and most degraded part of Whitechapel. The at_andance
now numbers some hundreds of children of both sexes, who
have been taken from running wild, as it were, in the gutters
and alleys of this poor part of London. A sound practical
education is given them, and in course of time
they become fitted to hold respectable situations. The doors
are always open to receive any who may present
themselves, poverty, dirt, and rags being the passport.
That the poor wretched starving outcasts this institution
deals with may be made eventually respectable members of
' society is found in the fact that a large number of boys who
have received the benefits of this school are now in excel-
lent situations, serving their employers with fidelity and
with honour to themselves. Several friends of the ragged
school movement addressed the meeting on behalf of its
claims to support, urging those engaged in the work to con-
tinue their efforts to clear the streets of the neglected
children who flock about on all sides. The committee
earnestly appeal to the humane and affluent for funds to
enable them to carry on and enlarge their sphere of action,
an appeal to which we hope there will be a liberal response.