The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-15 00:00:00

•
any right which this country could claim, nor has he asd
serted any right to which wo were not previously entitled.
Lord BROUGHAM had heard with very great satisfac-
tion the statement of his noble friend the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, that negotiations were in progress
between the Governments of France and of this country
which there was reason to hope would have the effect of
extinguishing that slave trade which has been partly re-
pressed on the western coast of Africa. He had heard with
satisfaction froni his noble friend opposite that a code bad
been submitted to the French Government which was likely
to lead to a satisfactory solution of the diffic'ulties whieh
had arisen with respect to the right of inquiry or the right
of visit, whichever it might be called, and that, in all pro-
bability, the question would be placed on a satisfactory
footing by an agreement between the three Powers. He
quite agreed with his noble friend below him, who was for-
merly at the head of the Foreign Department, that the
question with regard -to search was not of necessity con-
nected With the slave trade. It was a question which applied
to common piracy as well as that which he (Lord Brougham)
certainly thought as bad as any piracy— the slave
trade. He asked their lordships what
would be the conse-
quence if the
principles occasionally contended for on the
part of France and the United States were laid down—that
no cruiser had a right to stop a vessel upon the high seas
for the purpose of ascertaining that the flag hoisted by such
vessel was one which it was entitled to use ? He must
say that he thought the absurdities and inconsistencies to
which so extravagant a doctrine would lead had been
rather understated by his noble friend behind him.
Supposing a vessel—say a common pirate—hoisted a
national flag, according to the doctrine contended for, no
cruiser, except a cruiser of the country whose flag she
hoisted, had a right to stop her and institute an inquiry.
The consequence would be that such a ship won'c! t ake care
to hoist the flag of a country which had no cruiser at an_
(a laugh)—and she would, therefore, be certain of escape._
His noble friend had put the case of Monaco, and many-
similar instances might be mentioned. For example, Sam
Marino, with its 1,500 inhabitants, although having a flag,
might have no cruiser, and consequently the San Marino
flag might be used with absolute and inevitable impunity,
net only by slave traders, but to cover any nefarious trans-
actions. The difficulty.was undoubtedly to make a distinc-
tion between visitation, which included the right of board-
ing and searching, and mere inquiry in order to ascertain
the nationality of a vessel; but he did not think such in-
quiry could be instituted without the risk of great inconve-
nience and of possible collision between different countries ;
for much would depend upon the temper, prudence, and sa-
gacity of the officers—possibly very your g men—who were
intrusted with the duty of ascertaining that vessels were en-
titled to hoist the flags under which they were sailing. Re
believed the only way of preventing such collisions would
be by adopting some code,• or set of instructions, which
might be agreed to by the United States and other coun-
tries. It must be remembered that by the law of nations,
which it was now the fashion to call "international law,"
there was no distinction between one country and another;
and the little States of Monaco and San Marino had just
the same right to appeal to the law of nations, and to de-
mand the scrupulous observance of its provisions as France,
England, or any other Power. (Hear, hear.) He had
heard with great gratification the statement of his noble
friend opposite, that he entertained no doubt, from the
aspect of affairs on both sides the Channel, that peace was
likely to be maintained. He (Lord Brougham) earnestly
hoped, and devoutly prayed, that his noble friend might be
right in that expectation, and that his hopes were not too
sanguine. Knowing, as he (Lord Brougham) did, the
strong, the unanimous, and the heartfelt opinion and feel-
ing of all men on the other side the channel as on this
against any breach of the peace, and after a long and unin-
terrupted continuance of that invaluable blessing, he would
have been better satisfied, and have felt the more sanguine
in his hopes, if there were in other countries, as there was
in this, a constant, legitimate, and regular expression of
public opinion and of public feeling derived from the ines-
timable privilege of a Parliament.
Tho subject then dropped.
LAW OF PROPERTY AND TRUSTEES' RELIEF
AMENDMENT BILL.
The report of the amendments on this bill was received.
The House then adjourned at a few minutes before half -
past six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Several private bills were read a first time, and ordered
for second reading. The following bills were read a second
time, arid ordered to be committed :

Banff, Macduff, and Turriff Junction Railway; Becken-
ham and Sydenham Junction Railway • . Bedford, Potton,
and Cambridge Railway; Birkenhead, Lancashire, and
Cheshire Junction Railway; Birmingham, Erdington, and
Sutton Coldfield Railway ; Birmingham, Erdington, and
Sutton Coldfield. Railway (Western Line) ; Blackburn and
Preston Road and Bridge ; Border Counties Railway ; .
Border Union (North British) Railways ; Bradford, Wake-
field, and Leeds Railway; Breconshire Railway and Canal
(Nos. 1 and 2) ; Bridport Railway ; Burton-upon-Trent
Bridge; Caledonian Railway ; Carlisle and Penrith,
&c., Roads ; Carlisle, Langholm, and Hawick
Railway ; Carmarthen. and Cardigan Railway ;
Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway; Caterham Railway;
Central Wales Railway; Charleston Railway and Harbour;
Chichester Harbour Embankment; City of London Union;
Cleveland Railway; Colne Valley and Halstead Railway;
Cork Butter Market ; Cork Harbour Reclamation ; Dart-
mouth and Torbay Railway ; Droitwich Roads • Dundeo
and Newtyle Railway ; Eastbourne Water ; East Kent
Railway Company; East Suffolk Railway; Epping Rail-
ways ; Falmouth Docks and Harbour ; Findhora Railway ;
Formartine and Buchan Railway ; Forth and Clyde Navi-
gation ; Gateshead Quay; Glasgow Corporation Water ;
Glasgow Public Parks and Galleries •of Art; Great
Northern Railway ; Great North of Scotland Railway ;
Great Western and Brentford Railway ; Great Western
Railway ; Hampstead. Junction Railway ; Herne Bay and
Faversham Railway (Margate Extension) ; Hertford,
Luton, and Dunstable Railway ; Hinckley and Melbourne
Roads; Isle of Wight Ferry; Kensington Station and
North and South London Junction Railway; Kingsbridgo
and South Devon Railway; King's Lynn Borough and
Port and Harbour Improvement ; Kingston-upon-
Hull Docks ; Kingstown Water ; Kirkwall Harbour ;
Lancashire and Yorkshire and East Lancashire Railway
Companies ; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Ossett and
Dewsbury Branches) ; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
(Rochdale and Itoyton Branches) ; Lancaster and Carlisle
Railway ; Lands Improvement Company Lawton, Burs-
lera and Newcastle-under-Lyme Roads ; Leatherhead, and
Dorking Railway (Nos. 1 and 2) ; Leeds, and Hunslet
Road ; Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction Railway ;
Llanidloes and Newtown Railway ; Llanrwst and Abergele
Roads ; London and North Western and other Railway
Companies (Working and Traffic Arrangements) ; London
and North Western Railway (Batley to Adwalton) ; Lon-
don and North Western Railway (Denton to Staley-
bridge) ; London and North Western Railway (Extension
to Ossett, &c.) ; London and South Western Railway ;
London Bridge and Charing-cross Railway ; London,
Brighton, and South Coast Railway; Londonderry Bridge;
Ludlow Roads ; Malltraeth and Corsddaugau Marsh ;
Manchester, Liverpool, Swansea, and Milford Haven
Junction Railway ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
Railway (Sale or Lease) ; Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire Railway (Station at Manchester) ; Maybole
and Girvan Railway ; Mersey Docks and Harbour ; Mer-
thyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway; Metropolitan
Railway (Deviations,- -&-c.4__Midland Railway; Mid-
Sussex and Midhurst Junction Railway ; Mountsorrel
Railway; Much Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway. ;
North and South London Junction Railway; North Bri-
tish and Selkirk and Galashiels Railway Companies ; North
Eastern Railway (Harrowgate Branches) ; North Eastern
Railway (Nidd Valley Branch) ; North Western Raila.rv;
Norwich and Spalding Railway ; Norwich (City) Water
Norwood and Streatham Railway; Oldham, Ashton-under-
Lyne,
of
and Guide Bridge Junction Railway(Conatnrild) tio
uGuide
Funs, &c.) ; Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Bridge Junction Railway (Working
Li
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver
haraptcn Itallmay
Poole and Bourne-
Perth, Kinross, and Fife Roads ;
Portsmouth New Docks ;
Railway Companies ; _
Bourne-
mouth Water; Portsmouth and LondonF and South-
Westernmitt; Salford Borough ;
Hat-
field-road ; Richmond Improvement and Railway ; Portsmouth Railway • Reading and
Shep on a et Water;s.. Silver-
-Lyme Railway; ittingbourne
dSacloettanishd Central Railway;
and Sheerness Railway (Additional Capital, &e.) ; Somer-
set Central Railway ; South Durham and Lancashire Union
Railway ; South Staffordshire Railway ; South Wales,
Pembroke, and Tenby Junction Railway; South York-
shire and River Dun Company ; Stokes Bay Railway and
Pier : Sunderland and South Shields Water ; Swan-
age Railway and Pier ; Swansea Vale Railway ;
Tavistock Markets, Streets, and Improvement ; Tenbury
Railway ; Tendring Hundred Railway ; Tweed Fisheries ;
Vale of Llangollen Railway ; Vale of Neath Railway
Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway; Wandsworth and
Putney Railway ; Warrington and Stockport Railway ;
Wavency Valley Railway; Wear Navigation and Sunder-
land Docks ; Wells and Fakenham Railway ; West London
Railway ; Weston-super-Mare .Improvement and Market ;
Westminster Improvements ; Weymouth and Melcombe
Regis Markets and Pier ,• Whitehaven Harbour and Town;
Whitehaven Port, Harbour, and Town; Wimbledon and
Dorking and Epsom and Leatherhead Railways ; Wirral
Water; Woolwich Exemption ; Worcester and Hereford
Railway ; and York Improvement.
INSURANCE AMALGAMATION BILL.
Mr. C. FORSTER moved that the order for the second
reading of the Travellers and Marine Insurance and Acci-
dental Death Insurance Companies' Amalgamation Bill be
read and discharged ; and also that leave be given to bring
in a bill to " dissolve the Accidental Death Insurance Com-
pany, and to amalgamate the business of that company with
the Travellersand Marine Insurance Company, to be here.;
after called 'The Accidental Death Insurance Conipan'il
to regulate the payment of stamp duties by the latter n
A to.
Mr. Steuart do prepare and bring in the bid. —AST
pany, and for other purposes :”.___That Capt. Lo th
ccd her and
PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented, praying
p
of the trade
of the duty on paper, and the discontinuance for the reeal
in opium.
Mr. STAPLETON gave notice that he would put a
question to the Government on the subject of the state of
DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
the Danubian Principalities.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave
d the laws Y 2
8 h REFORM.i
rust., t. e would
PARLIAMENTARY
notice that, on Monday,
of °ant Parliamentary
ask leave to bring in a
obAfilleellmetetteearsrms
re-
lating to the election ofParliament for
England and Wales, aid also for- facilitating the
registration and voting
elections.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMISSIONS.
ich was
statement laid
therein before
proposedrar Parliament ebnt in
dJulyft
Sir 1
Sir DE L. EVANS asked the Secretary of State for War
with reference to the letter from Sir C. Trevelyan to Gen.
peel,
8i
r 8
cr
husap whethercOtPs.
sYf r
ooft hm Trevelyanmelithe,
srree; osrotnosf theom
fordifferingm Mee appeoninl atede'boy
in some import-
ant Lord Panmure to examine the proposals submitted by bins
to the Royal Commission on the
purchase and sale of com-
missions in the army, had been received by the Secretary
of State for War, and, if so, when it will be laid before the
house ?
General PEEL said he had received a communication
from Lord Panmure on the subject, which he would be
happy to lay on the table if it were moved for. With re-
gard to the second question, the Government considered
the report in question as private and confidential.
MILITARY HONOURS TO THE HOST AT MALTA.
Mr. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for the
Colonies, whether any order emanating from any author ity
at home or at Malta was in existence, requiring the trocpa
of the garrison to salute the Host, .or whether there «as
any such order to salute. the Archbishop of Malta, orany