The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-15 00:00:00

..........
and that so anxious was my noble friend to avoid any /nig. ' some years ago as unfit for the seas of the Southern Atlantic;
construction that he had declined to receive the deputation. and he must say, without any prejudice to the Galway Com-
I did not say Mr. Daly was authorised to make the comma- Pany, that he should himself be sorry to entrust his life to
nication, nor did I say that. he stated himself to be autho- her. (Laughter.) The next point was—how did the cora-
rised to make it. I said that he seemed to be entitled to ask pang with these ships perform the stipulations in the con-
the question, and if I had the statement to make over again tract. It was a sine qua non of the contract that the
Ido not know that I could usewords that would better con- voyage from Galway to St. John's should be performed in
vey my meaning. A noble lord representing a part of Ire- six days. What were the facts 2 He had them in his
land, I believe, rose more than once in the course of the de- hand, but he would only give the general results. Out of
bate that night to ask for explanations, and my noble friend 39 homeward voyages the vessels of the Galway Company
(Lord Palmerston), after the division on the question before only kept time on fiveoccasions; out of 41 outward voyages
the house, in reply to a question from the hon. and gallant they never kept their time once. (Hear, hear.) The Post-
member for Roscommon (Col. French), made a statement master-General stated that there were only two double
with respect to what passed between Mr. Daly and himself, voyages which were performed within the terms of the con-
and any one who will read in the newspapers the speech in tract. He (Mr. Baxter) maintained that thcse results
Galway, I believe, of Father Daly, as he is called, will find proved beyond all controversy that the Postmaster-General
that he gives exactly the same description as that which was entirely right when he said it was evident that the
was given by my noble friend. Some days afterwards I, company was not, and never had been, in a position satis-
having made no imputation upon the Irish members, on a factorily to perform the conditions of the contract. (Heal .)
Wednesday, a day when it is not expected that public He was told that two out of the four ships were built by
business will be introduced, and private bills are generally gentlemen who had never built an ocean ship before. Stress
4, the matters of discussion, an hon. friend of mine, the mem. had been laid on the absence of decision, on the part of the
ber for RW0121133011 came down to the house and disclaimed Government and Parliament, in regard to the question
on the part of the Irish members that any authority had but during the who of the interval the vessels were in the
been given to Mr. Daly to speak on behalf of the Irish process of construction, and why were they not ready
members, or to use threats to the Government respecting the sooner? Two or three were ready, but they remained in
question about to be debated in the House of Commons. My the hands of the builders, for the plain and simple reason
noble friend, as I understood, immediately got up and ex- that the company had no money to pay for them.
pressed himself perfectly satisfied with that declaration, and (Laughter.) The difficulty arose from the company never
after that the matter seemed to end. The statement having having possessed sufficient capital to carry on their enter-
been made by my noble friend, and not by me, my noble prise with. The ships were so bad that they were next to
friend accepted the disclaimer that was made. I was not useless. The company enlarged on the difficulty of getting
present in the house at the time, and I concluded that the ships of such enormous tonnage built, but this was really
whole business was at an end. (Hear, hear.) But as the trifling with the House of Commons. There was no diffi-
hon. gentleman has made this statement to alay, lam ready culty whatever in getting, any day, even larger ships built,
to say that I, like my noble friend, accept entirely that dis- provided they went to efficient builders, and had money to
claimer. I readily believe Mr. Daly had had no authority, pay for them when completed. There was only one other
that he was not entitled to ask my noble friend to receive a point to which he would call the attention of the house.
deputation, nor to use any threat to the Government. On The secretary of the Post-office wrote to the secretary of
the other hand I think it must be admitted that supposing the company, stating that greater indulgence was shown
the Government had acted with the greatest injustice re- to this company than was ever shown to any other
garding the Galway contract, supposing the company had packet company-
That was substantially true. The
fulfilled every item of their contract, and the Government Royal Mail Company was, he admitted, very guilty
was completely in the wrong, it would even then have been indeed in respect of the time they occupied in their
disgraceful, both to the Government and to the Irish mem- voyages. But the Atlantic Company never kept time at
hers, if, for the sake of a majority on that occasion, they en- all, and in addition to that, they had at the present moment
tered into any compact with regard to the renewal of the only ono ship fit to perform the conditions of the contract,
contract. That, therefore, is my statement to the house, and whereas the Royal Mail Company, though guilty of heinous
I think I was bound to make the statement which I did. A sins, was never in that deplorable plight. There was no
few days afterwards the Times said this was the current other instance of a company which had so conspicuously
report, and that they had given it publicity. That being so, broken down or to which so much indulgence had been shown.
both the Government and the Irish members ought to be But there was another company—the European and Aus-
tralasian—which had to contend with far greater difficulties
obliged to the newspaper which brought into light that
which was currently reported—they ought to be glad to than the Atlantic Company ; but to that company no indul-
have the opportunity of publicly disclaiming the imputa- gence had been shown, and it was a Scotch company.
tion. It is not my intention to enter into any question (Laughter.) They had to pay every shilling of tho tremen-
dous penalties they incurred, and obtained no remission of
with respect to the Galway contract, as the Government
tdo not intend to oppose the motion of the hon. member. the sums to which they had become liable in consequence
The whole of the circumstances he has stated will come of the non-performance of their contract. Ho had been
under the consideration of a committee, and I hope if asked to bring their case before the house, but he refused to
do
any injustice has been committed that that injustice will anything of the kind, and for this reason, that he was
na -
be repaired. (Hear.) But I must say with regard to the certain that the moment they showed indulgence to co
concluding observations of the hon. gentleman that I re- parties, and remitted the penalties due from them, these
member once calling upon Lord Melbourne, and he informed contracts became delusions and shams. (Hear.) This corn-
me that he had offered the office of lord-lieutenant to Lord Pliny had not a penny of money, and it had only one vessel
Auckland, and mentioned that he had refused the offer. that was in a position to meet the terms of the contract. It
I said I did not suppose that that would have been a very had utterly failed to perform one of the duties it had under-
popular appointment, upon which Lord Melbourne remarked taken. (Hear.) What, then, could the Postmaster-Gene-
6, You are entirely mistaken. There are no people in the ral do, under the circumstances, but what he had done ?
world who love, admire, and respect a plain and simple cha- And what did the hon. member for Galway now want to
racter, a man of honour and integrity of purpose, and actu- have done? Did he want more time for the company, in
ated by a love of justice, more than the Irish people. That order that they might raise additional capital, which every
is the character of Lord Auckland, and his would have been man of business knew would be only to threw away good
a popular appointment." I believe with Lord Melbourne money after bad, and would only make that final winding
that the Irish people do appreciate justice when they are up which must come more disastrous to those concerned ?
treated with justice, and if any injustice has been committed Did he mean to ask her Majesty's Government to allow the
they will naturally feel sore at that injustice; but I believe royal mails to be carried in such ships as the Parana, the
a Government which really wishes to stand well with Ire- Columbia, and the Hibernia ? The Government would in-
land ought not to endeavour to do so by giving them any cur a tremendous responsibility if they in any way counts-
unfair advantages, but ought to be guided solely by high nanced ships which were not fit to cross the North Atlantic.
principles of justice. (Cheers.) For these reasons he submitted to the house that the Post.
Mr. BAX.fER, was glad that the Government did not master-General had done what was simply his duty—a
intend to oppose the motion, because it appeared to him duty which was forced upon him by the gross mismanage-
that the more investigation they had upon the subject, and ment of the company and its want of capital. (Hear, hear.)
the more closely it was looked into by any competent tri- At the same time he was going to support the motion for a i
bunal--whether by a large or a small committee—the more committee. (Laughter.) And he supported it for this rea-
clearly would it appear that the Postmaster-General had son only—respect for the feelings of the people of Ireland.
only done what it was his bounden duty to do. He would He supported it not because there was the slightest pretext
clear the ground by distinctly stating that his hostility to for finding fault with Lord Stanley of Alderley, but that
the Galway contract had nothing to do with the fact that the people should, by the investigation into the affairs of
the vessels sailed from an Irish port. (Hear, and oh.) His this bubble company, be made aware how grossly they had
principle was that wherever there was an effective competi- been imposed upon and deceived. (Cheers.)
tion on the ocean, a subsidy became a profligate waste of Sir H. CAIRNS said he believed the hon. member for
public money. (Hear.) He therefore thought that Lord Montrose when he said he was not opposed to this company
Derby's Government did quite wrong, not only in granting because it was an Irish company, but because he was con-
the Galway subsidy, but in renewing the Cunard contract. sistently opposed to all subsidies for postal service; but
(Hear.) He had himself lost no opportunity of exposing there were other parts of his speech which he regretted to
the evils arising from that contract. He had, however, no say were not characterised by the same fair spirit. Having
connexion with any steamship company, and his only desire no connection with the Atlantic Company, he was not en-
was to save the public money by exposing the evils which titled to speak in their behalf, but he was a member of that
resulted from the system of unlimited subsidies which had house, and he knew what was fair. This company was a
lately grown up. That system was a detriment instead of trading company, whose interests not only for the past but
an advantage to the commerce of the country. At the same for the future were involved in every observation made in
time he admitted that Ireland was entitled from her geo- the course of that debate. And he would ask the house
graphical position, if for no other reason, to a direct postal with confidence whether the observations of the hon. meta-
communication with America—(hear, hoar)—anh though ber for Montrose were fair. (Hear.) Was it fair with re-
he objected to the renewal of the contract with the Cunard gard to a trading company whose credit in the world was
Company and of the subsidy to the Galway Company, he of some importance to them, there having been no termina-
held the opinion that it was the bounden duty of the Go- tion of the contract for the want of capital or solvency but
vernment to see that Ireland was made the point of depar- upon other grounds, to say that it was a company in a state
Lure and.arrival as regarded America. This ought to be of hopeless insolvency, that it had not a shilling, and than-
and could easily be done, without hastily renewing the con • nounce to the house that its balance-sheet was not what it
tract with the Cunard Company on those old terms which appeared, but what it was made out to be by some ingeni-
every one connected with commerce knew were ridiculously ous accountant ? (Hear.) Was the hbn. gentleman aware
advantageous to that company. The Galway Company had that since the time he spoke of the company had changed
never the means of carrying on the service, and was neither hands, and that it was now in the hands of men as solvent,
more nor less than a commercial sham. (Hear, hear.) as able to fulfil any engagement, and to contribute any sum
No doubt, as soon as the contract was signed and ratified of money to carry it on as any company in the kingdom ?
by the Government it was the duty of the Government to That was a matter of common rumour, and if the hon. gen-
carry it out in the most fair and liberal spirit. But what tleman was not aware of it he was singularly unfortunate
was the financial position of the Galway Company? He in the extent of his information. But that was not all.
held in his hand a document which set the matter entirely The hon. gentleman said there were four ships ordered to
at rest. By the balance-sheet of the Atlantic Royal Mail be built, and then he complained of their character. But
Packet Company, made up to Dec. 31, 1860, it appeared what were the facts ? The contract specified the requisites
that the subscribed capital at that date was £406,390, and of the ships that should be built, and the contractors entered
the losses, &c., £335,839, leaving a balance of £70.550. into engagements with shipbuilders of known repute for the
He had placed the document in the hands of an experienced construction of the vessels, and they gave prices that were
accountant, who reduced the balance to X 19,996. (Laughter, not too scanty. (Hear, hear.) They gave full and large
and a cry of "How do you make it out ?'') Since that prices, and moreover, every ship which had been built was
data the company had lost a great deal of money; and if surveyed by the Government inspector, and approved of by
they got every shilling of the £72,000 from the Government him. (Hear, hear.) Was it fair, then, to charge a corn-
their financial position in the present year was wholly hope- pany which had done everything they could do under the
less and irremedable. (Hear, hear.) With regard to ships, circumstances, as the hon. member for Montrose had done ?
the hon. gentleman flattered himself that the case was not Was it fair to say that if £40,000 had been laid out on the
so bad as.represented. It was slid that if indulgence were ship he mentioned, not a single member would trust his life
granted to the company they would be able to carry on the in her across the Atlantic ? (Hear, hear.) But the hon.
service; but it was an ugly and indisputable fact, that at the member's unfairness did not rest there. Ho said he had
present moment the company had only one single ship, received letters from captains of merchant vessels, who said
answering to the terms of the contract—the Adriatic. He that they knew of no gale at the time when one of the com-
readily admitted that there was no finer vessel on the At-
pany's vessels was said to be damaged in the storm off Cape
lantic than the Adriatic, which had been purchased from
Clear. Still, that vessel was inspected by the Government
the Americans. The contract required vessels of 2,000 tons inspector, and he spoke of her having been strained off Cape
each, with 450 horse-power; and four steamers of that class Clear. Was the Government inspector capable of forming a
to perform the service. Those four steamers correct opinion, or was he not ? He apprehended he was.
were necessary
were ordered to be built by the company. The first was the The hon. member seemed to be acquainted with the Euro-
Sraaught, which ought never to have crossed the ocean. pean and Australasian Company, and he told the house that
T the astonishment of everyone she made one passage. On that company had been made to pay all the penalties it had
her second she sprang a tremendous leak and took fire, and incurred to the uttermost farthing. He had the report of
the passengers and crew were only saved by the greatest
heroism and d • the committee on which the hon. member for Montrose sat
mamearg.)onlthe part of the captain of an Ame- before him, and he found this question and answer in it,—
rican brig.
possible still sadder. Shile The
history of the Hibernia was if "Can you (Mr. Clifton was the witness) inform the corn-
tion on Galway line, left Southampton to take her sta-
, and according to documents pre- mittee whether the penalties were enforced from the com-
Bente,' tot he house, she got as far pany ? Answer—The penalties incurred amounted to
Cape Clear, when she
encountered a severe hurricane.otßastehrcould only say as to £75,725, and the amount remitted was £21,133." (Hear,
that matter that the captains
different lines of hear.) Was it fair in the hon. gentleman to inform the
ynehiguhrborieecurhood at the same
steamers who were in the same house--he himself being a member of the committee before
time had no knowledge of an which the fact was disclosed—that though some indulgence
They reported there was nothing furtheraliteh: (Laughter.) I had been shown to the West India Company, no indulgence
tolerably I had been shown to the Australian Company, and that the
heavy spring sea. But that was too much foraathae sty, she penalties had been exacted to the uttermost farthing?
put into Cork leaking fore and aft, and it was with the (Hear hear With regard to this contract, the circum-
greatest possible difficulty she could be got to Liverpool. stances' connected.) with it were to be deplored, and by no
He was in possession of a report, dated the 6th April, 1861, Pazirgtesowimthuch as by the company concerned. Up to 18.55
made by the surveyor who surveyed the vessel in dry dock
in Liverpool, in consequence of the representations of the courts
of
law regardb to these contracts could be decided in
ani,3aiduitein consequence of a change made a few
Postmaster-General. It stated that the whole vessel was Years ago
severely strained, indicating such a deficiency of strength being that the Government w-
s were not now absolutely given, the form
iecially longttudinall -as to e- ,t fr- the le

ax Aiy ,y—as to accoun. leakage,
,
and render her unseaworthy. With regard to the Hiber-
nia, paddle steamer, there was a report of the Boardtos
oo ff
Trade, to the effect that she showed great symptoms
weakness, and required to be considerably strengthened.
They report also recommended that her certificate should
ashowuld
be cancelled, and it was cancelled accordingly. He
told that £40,000 was required to make the ship
fit for sea, and he believed that even if that sum
were spent upon her, the hon. members for Roscommon
and Galway would not entrust their lives to her across
the Atlantic. (Laughter.) The third vessel built was the
Columbia, and the report of the Admiralty, dated the Ist of
April, 1861 (before she went to sea), stated that the con-
emotion ocher bulwarks was faulty, but still by alterations
and additions made at Southampton she would be sufficiently
seaworthy, and fit to carry the mails for two or three voy-
ages during the summer, but afterwards she should be care-
fully examined in dry dock. (Laughter.) He ventured to say
that such a report was never made before with regard to an
entirely new vessel, and be was surprised that she had ever
been allowed to pass at all. In respect to this ship he would
read two sentences from a letter, dated April 28, 1861, which
appeared in an Irish newspaper—" I am at last at
Ports-
Inontn, after a long voyage of 18 days. Notwithstanding
its l)
e ngthhe , the voyage was one of continual mishap. (Laugh-
ter. T Columbia, I am sorry to say, is a complete failure.
She is a wet and slow ship. In spite of her large consump-
tion of coal she only made 10 miles an hour instead of 15,
as was intended." They put the Columbia into dry dock at
Liverpool, and the last he heard of her was that she had
fallen on her beam ends. (Laughter.) The fourth was the
.Anglia,
had the Prince Albert, but she was not a ship answering to
the contract. She made a Passage homeward thrice within
the contract time, but the average of her voyages out, which
tho company had trumpeted forth, was four days beyond
contratime. (Hear, hear.) One word as to the Parana,
which the directors said was a ship which had been employed in the postal service. That was true. The
Parana
was andold ship belonging to the 'West India Mail
Company. She never Wac a
good Ship) and Was cordenated

-e8

bounds upon the present occasion, for the purpose of exciting
those cheers which have so loudly followed the sitting down
of the right hon. gentleman. (Hear, hear.) I must say,
however, that there was ono part of the speech of the right
hon. gentleman which did excite astonishment in my mind.
The right hon, gentleman alluded to a melancholy event,
deplored by all who had the honour and pleasure of acquaint-
ance with Mr. Stafford, the late member for ;sTorthamptons
an event which was totally unconnected with political mat-
ters, and was the result purely of physical disease, and I
must say, without casting a reflection on the medical science
of the sister isle, of medical mismanagement. With a taste
and feeling to which I shall not advert, the right hon..
gentleman was pleased to say that my hon. friend—for so.
I may call him—was hun tell to death. I never in the course
of my life heard an obserwation less founded on fact--(hear,
hear)—more impertinent to Ihe question under considera-
tion, or less becoming a person occupying the position of the
right hon. gentleman. (Hear.) I shall not follow the right
hon. gentleman in discussing the merits or demerits of the
Administration of 1852. I will net even go into a discus-
sion of the conduct of the late Govenament in regard to the
granting of the Galway Contract, or the motives, time, and
circumstances of that transaction. Much might be said on
that subject—(hear)—but it is a question which has gone by.
If there was anything in the granting of that contract which
exposed the late Government to criticism, it has been con-
doned. (Hear, and a laugh.) The matter was referred to a
committee of the house, on whose report the co atract was
acknowledged and carried on. It is made a reproach to the
present Government that they referred the matter to a com-
mittee ; but, as the contract was to depend on money to be
voted by Parliament, as there was great difference of opinion
on the question at the time in the house, and as it turned
on detailed information, I think it was the duty of the Go-
vernment to refer the matter to a select committee, and not
allow it to be discussed merely on the vote in Committee of
Supply. (Hear.) The company having been acknowledged
and their contract continued, it was our duty to see that
they fulfilled the engagements which they had undertaken.
They failed on several occasions to fulfil the conditions of
the contract, and repeatedly received extensions of time and
other indulgences. A certain time having elapsed, we
found that failures were still taking place, and arrived at
the opinion that the company did not contain in itself the
elements of faithful and efficient performance of the con-
tract. It therefore became our duty, in performance of the
obligations wo had undertaken, to tell the company that no
further time could be allowed, and that the contract must,
therefore, be terminated. (Hear.) We are told that it is
an act of weakness, a piece of self-condemnation, to agree
to the committee now moved for. I say it is in exact accord-
ance with the course which we pursued on the former oc-
casion, in regard to maintaining the contract. It is per-
fectly true that we felt that if we had resisted this proposal
we should have been left in a minority. We deemed it
ourselves to be a reasonable proposal, and we believe that
others shared that opinion. Instead of being an act of weak-
ness, it was the only course which a Government acting
without passion or prejudice, and wishing simply that the
merits and justice of the case should be ascertained, could
pursue. (Hear.) The only person in the house who, I
think, should have voted against the proposal is the noble
lord opposite, who, in his speech, gave what appeared to me
strong reasons for such a vote. Then we are told that in
acting as we have done we have slighted the Lord-Lieu-
tenant of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) I u ould ask where the
contract was made, and who sanctioned it. Was it
made in Ireland, or did it receive the sanction of the
Lord-Lieutenant ? (Hear, hear.) We were just now
told by the honourable gentleman that it was a contract
made by the Government of this country upon Im-
perial considerations, to be paid for out of the Impe-
rial revenue, and to be sanctioned by Parliament. I say,
therefore, that if a question arose as to whether the contract
should be continued or not, the same authority by which it
was originally made—namely, the Imperial Government,
was called upon to determine whether it should be con-
tinued. This being so, it was not fair to throw upon the
Lord-Lieutenant a responsibility which did not belong to
him, or to take him into council upon a matter of Imperial
policy which in no degree formed part of his functions. So
far from casting any slight upon the legitimate authority
vested in him, I say that we should have been going out of
our way if we had remitted to him a question the decision
upon which belonged solely to the Government of this
country, and in thus acting we pursued the natural course,
the course followed by our predecessors, and the only course.
which ought to be followed by the Government upon a
question of this kind. (Hear.) The Lord-Lieutenant, how-
ever, was informed of the decision which was taken. The
noble lord himself read a passage, from which it appeared
that the Lord-Lieutenant knew of our decision, though ho
said ho was not aware of all the detailed reasons upon which
that decision was founded. Now, as the decision was not
his, it was unnecessary to take him into council and inform
him of all the steps by which it was arrived at, it was
enough to tell him what the decision was, and, therefore,
the answer which he gave was a perfectly obvious and na-
tural one. There is nothing in that transaction which in
the slightest degree affects the functions or the position of
the Lord-Lieutenant, and if gentlemen bave no better rea-
son than that for proposing the abolition of the office, I
think the ground for making such a proposal exceedingly
trivial. (Hoar.) Great complaints have been made by
Irish members in the course of this debate that sufficient
attentionis not paid by the Government to the interests of
Ireland—(Opposition cheers) —that Ireland is neglected ;
and that there is hostility on our part towards Ireland.
(Cheers.) Really, to accuse the Government of hostility to
one-third of the United Kingdom implies, I think, less
wisdom on the part of those who make the assertion than
the accusation imputes to those against whom it is made.
(Hear, hear.) Why, of late years, the whole course of
legislation has been for the benefit of Ireland. (" No I")
When you talk of Ireland, I presume you consider it
as part of the United Kingdom. I presume we are
not discussing Ireland as if it were a colony sepa-
rated in its interests from the rest of the country,
locally situated, and unconnected, except by sovereignty,
with this country. (Hear, hear.) I say that every measure
which is proposed and carried for the benefit of the country
at Jarge is a measure from which Ireland also derives her
share of benefit. All those improvements in commerce and
in internal administration of every kind, which have re-
sulted from the labours of Parliament during the last 20
years, are measures from which Ireland has derived as much
benefit as England. These advantages are not confined to one
part of the United Kingdom. The repeal of Customs duties,
the freedom of commerce—any measures which add to the
wealth and prosperity of the United Kingdom— confer
equal benefits on Ireland with the rest of the country. No
man who compares the state of Ireland now with its state
20 years ago—no man can traverse the country, or can go
the slightest distance through it, without seeing the vast
improvement which has taken place there. (Hear, hear.)
I dare say I shall be told by those who are so much alive to
the interests of Ireland that this improvement has been the
result of the native energies of the people—(hear, hear)—of
their industry, intelligence, activity, the fertility of the
soil, and the natural resources of the country. (Hear,
hear.) But will all these elements produse national pro-
sperity unless superintended by a good Government ?
When a nation is prosperous, when intelligence and industry
reap the legitimate reward of their exertions, when the
natural resources of a country are developed by the activity
of its people—when you see such a result you may con-
fidently assert that that country is well
deprived of its pfoper reward, a fertile governed.soil
lying
Onwaste the
other hand, when you see intelligence cramped, industry
ot of a man,bad
Government. you ma y safely
and uncultivated, and great natural resources unproductive
ehdeiacra.t)e
Tthhee ger
exai st n
(I
eapr
happiness and prosperity of Ireland of late years show, I
increased t here
think, convincingly that the Government under which such
results are brought about is not liable to the imputations
made against the present Ministry of being neglectful of
the interests and hostile to the welfare of Ireland. (Hear,
hear.) I shall not pursue this subject further. I am of
opinion that the course proposed by the hen, member for
Galway is a proper one. We are perfectly willing to sub-
mit to the committee the reasons upon which we thought
it our duty as guardians of the public purse to announce the
termination of the contract. It will be for the committee
to judge whether those reasons are sufficient, or whether
any excuses which the company can offer for the non-per-
formance of their engagements are such as will justify the
Government and Parliament in continuing the subsidy
which under the contract the company are entitled to
receive. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. E. P. BOUVERIE, who spoke amidst a good deal
of interruption, said the point was that this contract had been
given to the Galway Company without the competition
which had been promised. He also deprecated the allusion
which had been made to his deceased friend, and the state-
ment that he had been hunted to death. The truth was
that the right hon. gentleman the member for Bucks had
taken this opportunity of c waggering about those matters
out of which he and his friends had not come out in the
best way possible. He regretted that this committee should
have been appointed, for there were no facts to be ascer-
tained, but the real object seemed to be to set this contract
on its legs again. If this course was to be pursued it would
be the first time in the history of this country that the
House of Commons had, by one of its committees, assumed
the executive functions and arranged the terms of
inquiry
a cM
tract of this kind. He hoped that the result of the
~;a
would show that the course which had been pursued