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

any right which this country could claim, nor has he as-
serted any-right to-which we were not previously-entitled.
Lord BROUGHAM had heard_With -very great satisfac-•
tion the statement of hist- inob44 'friend the'Sectetary of
State for Foreign Affairs, that negOiation.s Weidinlirrigrss
• '
d betWeenthe GovernmentS of France' and :of
.-fbis-, i eduic ry
which there was reason to hope would have the effect of
extinguishing that slave trade which has been,
pressed on the western coast of Africa.' He had heard with
satisfaction from his noble friend'opposik't4kps'etrili Alta
been submitted .to the FrenchGeyeininent
to lead- to a Satisfactory solution of the -difficulties---;whfeh
had arisen with respect to the right of inquiry or the-right -
of visit, whichever it might be called, and that, in all pie- -
bability, the question would be placed on a satisfactory
footing by an agreement between the three Vewers.
quite•agreedwith his noble friend below him, who was fer-
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 pimey 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 purpoge of ascertaining that' the flag hoisted 133 such
vessel was one which it was entitled to use ? He must
say that he thought the absurdities and inconsistenc,ica 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 would take care
to hoist the flag of a country which had no cruiser at
(a laugh)—and she would, therefore, bo certain of escape.
His noble friend had put the case of Monaco, and many
similar instances might be mentioned. For example, San
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 train! -- •
actions: The difficulty was undoubtedly to make a "distirt&2
tion between visitation which included the right of boriecl.:
ing and searching, and mere inquiry in order to asc-ertaln -1
the nationality of a vessel; but he did not think such int
quirt' could be instituted without the risk of great inconv'e:
nience and of possible collision bet Ween different countries ; •
for much would depend upon the temper, prudence, and sa-
gacity of the officers—possibly very young men—who were
intrusted with the duty of ascertaining that vessels were en-
titled tb hoist the flags under which they were sailing. He'
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 internationarlaw,'!
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' `
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 publit feeling derived from the ines-
timable privilege of a-Parliament.
The subject then dropped.i ;111.1
LAW OF PROPERTY AND TRUSTEES' RELI-Ef. -
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, and 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 Rail Way ;
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,
&e., Roads ; Carlisle, Lagholm, and Hawick
Railway ; Caimarthen 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; Dundee
and Newtyle Railway; Eastbourne Water; East Kent
Railway Company; East Suffolk Railway; Epping Rail-
ways ; Palmouth Docks and Harbour ; Findhorx 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 Rovton Branches) ; Lancaster and Carlisle
Railway; Lands improvement Company ,• Lawton, Burs-
km and Newcastle-under-Lyme Roads ; Lea.therhead 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 (Altar Railway
Companies (Working and Traffic Arrangements) ; London
and North Western Railway (Batley to Adwalton) ; Lon-
don and North Westein Railway (Denton to Staley-
bridge) ; London and North Western Railway (Extension
to Ossett, &c.) ; London and South Western Railway ;
London Bride 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 ; INler-
thyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny. Railway ; Metropolitan
Railway (Deviations, &c.) •;,, Midland Railway; Mid-
Sussex and Midhurst Junction Railway ; Mountsorrel .
1
' 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 E!istern
Railway (Nidd Valley Branch) ; North Western Railway;
Norwich and Spalding Railway ; Norwich (City) Water ;
Norwood and Streatham Railway; Oldham, Ashton-uer-
Lyne, and Guide Bridge Junction Railway (Contributionu,iGui ofu
Funds, &c.) • Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne, ji.ne,
&c.);
Bridge Junction Railway (Working of Li
Perth, Kinross, and Fife - Roads ; Pole -
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhamoptonand RBour ailwa
ney
New Docks ;
Railway Companies ; Portsmouth
mouth Water ; Portsmouth and London and South-
WesternSalford Borough ;
and Railway ; Portsmouth Railway ;. Readings., and_ Hat-
field-road ; Richmond Improvement
Scottish Central Railway; PSrileepnitoenntKallet Water; Silver-
dale and Newcastle-under-Lyme Railway; Sittingbourne _
and Sheerness Railway (Additional Capital, &c.) i: Somer-
iabfrouurdthshuDr
jairnailTvildlyLianscuaushuiirel.l-nion
sßeait chrean3t7.l
Wales,
Pembroke, and Tenby Junction •;Railway.; South York-
shire and River Dun Company; 'Stokes :Bay Railway and.
Railway
South S
Pier : Sunderland and South. Shields Water ,•' Swan-
age Railway and Pier ; Swansea V.ale 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 tliatiheorde;.faTtli7second
reading of the Travellers and Marine Insurance and Acci-
dental Death Insurance Companies' Amalgamation Bill be
road and discharged; and also that leave be given to bring
in a bill to " dissolve the Accidental Death Insurance Com-
pany, and to asnalgamate the business of that company with
the Travellers and Marine Insurance Company, to be here-
after called The Accidental Death Insurance Company
to regulate the payment of stamp duties by the latter com-
pany, and for other purposes :"—That Capt. Lowthedr and
Mr. Steuart do prepare and bring in the bill.—Agree to.
PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented, prgYing for the repeal
of the duty on paper, and the discontinuance of the trade
in opium.
DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
Mr. STAPLETON he subject of the state of
gave notice that he would put a
question to the Government on the
the Danubian Principalities.
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
'
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave
notice that, on Monday, the 28th inst., he would
ask leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws re-
lating to the election of Members of Parliament for
England and Wales, and also for facilitating the'
COMMISSIONS
DE
or
ci werani.
registration and voting of electors at Parliamentary
elections.
Sir
PURCHASE R AlState AND SALE OF
NS asked the Secretary of
with reference to the letter from Sir C. Trevely
Peel, a copy of which was laid before Parliament in July,
1858, whether the statement therein proposed to be made, of
Sir Chas. Trevelyan's reasons
of
th for differing in some import-
ant respects from the reportproposals committee
submittedappointed
by
himby
Lord Panmure to examine the e
to the Royal Commission onthe purchase and sale of com-
missions in the army, had.
of State for War, and, been received by the Secretary
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
h
by yto lay on the table if it were moved for. With re-
g/i)
to the second question, the Government considered
t report in
question EL 8 private and confidential. .
MILITARY HONOURS TO THE HOST AT MALTA.. '
lir. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for the'
COlonies, whether any order emanating from any authority
at home or at Malta was in existence, requiring the troops
iof garrison to salute the Host, or whether there
any
any order to salute the Archbishop of Nalta,.or