The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-05 00:00:00

HARBOURS BILL;

Lard STANLEY of ALDERLEY said he had to move
the second reading of this bill, the object of which was to
afford facilities for granting loans to the local authorities for
constructing or improving existing harbours. In order
to carry out the provisions of the bill, £360,000 was to be
lent yearly. The bill also provided for the abolition of pass-
ing tolls, which had been considered to press heavily on the
mercantile marine. Differential dues were also to be done
away with. With respect to the question of compensation
t) those harbours which possessed the right of levying
passing tolls, it was laid down that they should still have
the right to levy dues on vessels actually within their boun-
daries sufficient to keep the harbours in repair. He antici-
pated much good would result from the passing of the bill.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he did not rise to
oppose the precise motion of the noble lord opposite, but he
wished to know a little more about a measure which
bad so wide a scope, and which had come so suddenly on
their lordships' consideration. The right to levy tolls had
in some instances been given " for ever," and though
Parliament had a right to cancel its former act 4, adequate
compensation ought to be given to those corporations
which suffered by the bill. He thought so strongly of
certain parts of the bill, that at a future stage he should
move certain modifications to some of the clauses.
The Earl of DONOUGHMORE was very far from
sharing in the opinions of the noble marquis. On the
contrary, he thought the bill one calculated to effect a
great improvement upon the present state of things.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said the reason why the
trustees of Whitby harbour had not paid off the debt was
that they had entered upon extensive works of amelioration.
Lord; TAUNTON expressed his great gratification at
the prospect of this intricate and complicated question,
which had long been a source of complaint on the part of
the shipping interest of this country, being at last satis-
factorily settled.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said it was originally
proposed that the compensation to be awarded for the abo-
lition of these dues should be limited to five years ; but that
period was now extended to ten years, and he was disposed
to assent to that compromise, looking to the great benefit
which the country would derive from the bill.
The bill was then read a second time.
LOCOMOTIVES BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
THE PORTPATRICK HARBOUR (SCOTLAND)

BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
OFFICERS OF RESERVE (ROYAL NAVY) BILL,
This bill was read a third time and passed.
THE GALWAY PACKET SERVICE.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE, referring to the

termination of the Galway contract, pressed the im-
portance of a packet service between Ireland and America,
and asked what steps the Government proposed to take t o
re-establish direct postal communication of that nature ?
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said it would be pre-
mature for the Government to express any opinion on this
question until the committee which was sitting to inquire
into the subject of the Galway contract had made its re-
port. There could be no inconvenience in respect of postal
communication, inasmuch as there were three lines of
packets leaving Ireland weekly for North America. The
Cunard line touched at Queenstown on Sundays, aad Liver-
pool, Philadelphia, and New York lines touched there on
Thursdays, and the Canadian line on Fridays, all taking in
letters.