The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-08 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, June 7.
Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
NAVY PRIZE BALANCE BILL.
This Bill was read
Pa
ETITIO third time and passed.
NS.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented several petitions
praying fur increased accommodation to assistant-
surgeons in the navy, among them one from the Royal
College of Surgeons in London; also from several out-
pensioners of Chelsea Hospital praying for the repeal
of a clause in the Act 9 and 10 Victoria, depriving them
of their pensions. He thought that every accommoda-
tion ought to be afforded to assistant-surgeons in the
navy, and he hoped that some alteration would take place

in the present arrangements.
The Earl of MINTO said that great misapprehension
existed.as to the nature of the accommodation afforded
to assistant-surgeons in the navy. A double cabin had been
appropriated to their use some time since, immediately
after the report of the Naval and Military Commission,
in order to enable them to pursue their studies. They
had in many instances converted that cabin into a store-
,-oom ; but he believed arrangements had now been made
.to remove all causes of complaint on their part that
they had no separate place of study. Re believed a
portion of the sick bay was now appropriated for that

purpose.
Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions pray-
ing for the extension of the County Courts. The
traders of London, Manchester, and Leeds did not
object to the principles of Mr. Fitzroy's Bill, but to

certain of the details.
The Earl of HARROWBY presented several peti-
tions praying for a repeal of the Sale of Beer Act.
The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions

•gainst Post-office Sunday labour.
kDMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

IMPROVEMENT BILL.
On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, this Bill was

read a third time and passed.
CHELSEA PENSONERS.
In answer to a question-from the Duke of RICHMOND,.
Earl GREY said, under an Act of George IL, a de-
duction of 5 par cent. was made from all out-pensioners
paid at Chelsea Hospital. In 1847 a Bill was passed
doing away with the poundage, bat it was not retrospec-
tive in its operation. This was equivalent to giving the
pensioners a boon of 50,000/. per annum. Upon that
law being passed the pensioners imagined they had claims
fur the arrears of former deductions, than which nothing
could be more illusory.
PIRATICAL INVASION OF CUBA.

Lord BROUGHAM wished to ask his Noble Friend
(the Marquis of Lansdowne) if he had any information
to give the House relative to reports of an alarming
nature, which he hoped would prove groundless. He
understood that an expedition had sailed from the
United States, to take possession of Cuba. He had no
doubt whatever but that this was without the consent
of the Government of the United States.—(Hear, hear.)
He confessed he had too much respect for the Ameri-
can Government to suppose that any assent would be
given by them to such a proceeding. He was just in-
formed by his Noble Friend to his great sorrow that the
expedition had escaped the Spanish fleet, and had (we
understood) effected a landing at Cardenas. Now, he
sincerely hoped these execrable pirates—for pirates they
were undoubtedly in the strictest sense of the term, their
object being piratically to plunder and make war on
harmless, unoffending people—he repeated he sincerely
hoped they would meet with that condign punishment
they merited. He hoped his Noble Friend would state
if he bad received any information from the American
Minister on the subject, or whether any communications
had passed between our own and the American Govern-
ment. He could not avoid saying that the American.
Government, being such a respectable Government, and
charged with the maintenance of peace and amity be-
tween the United States and other nations, would be
found, at the same time, endowed with sufficient strength
and power to prevent its subjects from sending out large
armed expeditions from its shores for the purpose of
making war on unoffending sta'es.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, who throughout
spoke in a more than usually subdued undertone, was
understood to say he did not know that be could give
the Noble Lord more information than he already pos-
sessed—namely, that a piratical expedition, for piratical
it was in the worst sons.) of the term, had set out from
the United States for Cuba; but it was not only without
the cognizance, but subject to the disapprobation or
the United States Government, who entirely disapproved
of these. proceedings. Information had recently been
received from the Consul at New Orleans that the
pirates had landed at Cardenas. The matter (we un-
derstood) was under the consideration of her Majesty's
Government.

Lord BROUGHAM said it was was impossible to en-
tertain a doubt of the American Government discoun-
tenaneing this expedition. He should, however, have
been more satisfied had his Noble Friend been able to
give more direct information on that point. His Noble
Friend had justly, wisely, and correctly said this expe-
dition was piracy of the worst description. Common
piracy had for its end individual plunder and wrong,
whereas this piratical expedition contemplated wholesale
plunder and bloodshed, and to carry fire and sword into
a pacific country in alliance with us and with the Ame-
rican states also. Reprobation of such doings was all
very well; but he thought in such a case something more
definite should be done by the American Government.
The Marquis of LA.NSDOWNE said that the Go-
vernment of the United States had not only expressed
their disapprobation, but had ordered their naval forces
to endeavour to intercept the expedition. He did not
know what the American Government might do next,
but certainly as far as the American Government could
defeat the object of the expedition they had done what-
ever they could do.
Lord BROUGHAM said that this addition to the
answer of his Noble Friend was more satisfactory, but
he could not understand how 8,000 men could be armed
and seat off without the knowledge of the Government.

The Earl of ABERDEEN believed that the Govern-
ment of the United States had done the utmost to stop
the expedition, and he regretted that twenty years ago,
when the United States suspected us of unlawful dealings
in the island, they had not united with us and France
in guaranteeing the island to Spain. The island of Cuba
for some time past had beon supposed to be an object of
desire to various powers. We ourselves were strongly
suspected of having some design on that island. He re•
collected twenty years ago, when he was in office, some-
thing of this was said, and he very much regretted that
the United States did not at that time assent to a propo-
sition which he made; for if they had done so, they
would have been enabled to do the only thing they had
not done on the present occasion. Twenty years ago,
when the American Government thought fit to suspect
England of an unlawful desire to possess Cuba, he pro-
posed that the American States and France should com-
bine with England in guaranteeing the island of Cuba to
Spain. The United States Government did not agree
with that proposition—though certainly at that time it
was strongly suspected by the Government of the United
States that England had some ulterior object with respect
to Cuba. With respect to the present expedition, he
hoped, however, the force in the island was sufficiently
strong to gise a good account of those buccaneers who
had undertaken the expedition.
Lord BROUGHAM as a lawyer challenged con tra-
diction to this position that all civilized nations were
bound to give aid against pirates, and that the com-
mander of any British cruiser would be guilty of a neg-
lect of duty if he did not aid the Spaniards against the
pirates.
Lord STANLEY said the House were discussing the
question he was about to put to their Lordships. He
begged to ask, for information, what was the course our
Government were taking in this affair? And as it had
been for a long time known that intentions were enter-
tained of sending out a piratical expedition to Cuba
from the United States, he wanted to know whether
any orders had been sent to the commander cf the Bri-
tish fleet in the West India station, and if so, whet
orders?
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was not precisely
aware of what the American Government had done.
Lord STANLEY did not ask what the American
Government had de
o
n
e
,
but what the British Government
had done; whether
on the announcement of the expe-
dition, any instrucrtions had been sent out to our naval
forces?
The Marquia of LANSDOWNE, not having had
previous notice of the question, could 'not state what in-
structions had been sent out to our cruisers.
Lord STANLEY was of
Cuba was not immaterial to British
instructions had beentaethat it was
not unlikely some
sent out to the
West Indies. He therefore repeated his question, had
any instructions been sent out at all ? srestthse, island of
Earl GREY—In the present state of affairs, it would
be a breach cf duty on the part of any Minister to an-
swer such a question at ad. He was surprised that,
with his official experience, the Noble Baron should have
asked it.
Lord STANLEY— am not to be taught my duty by
the Noble Earl opposite.—(hear, bear.) It is the right
this house
and duty of every Peer in to ask any question
whereby he can ascertain whether her Majesty's Go
eernment has performed its duty on a matter which con-
cerns deeply the honour and the interests of this country.
We have a right to ask whether any instructions have
been sent to our commanders in the West Indies, espe-
cially as it appears that this matter has been thought
worthy of being made the subject of intercommunica-
tions between our Government and that of the United
States. I have put a question to her Majesty's Ilinisters,
and I wish to know whether they will give me any an-
swer at all?
Lord I3EAUMONT rose.
Lord STANLEY _I put the question to the Noble
Marquis, who
may or may not refuse to answer. It is
from the Noble Marquis, therefore, I expect the cour-
tesy of a reply.
The Marquis of
LANSDOWNE did not deny the
Right of the Noble Lurd to put the question, and he
repeated what he had said, that the matter was under
the consideration of the Government.
Lard BEAUMONT was
surprised The at the conduct of
the Noble Lord (Stanley) answer that the subject
was under the consideration of the
which ought to satisfy him. Government was one
Lord BROUGHAM for his own part was satisfied
with the answer of'
the Noble marquis,- which amounted
to this—we know absolutely nothing
He was not aware that there was anything of the subject.
thing like a duty
incumbent either on the House collectively, or on Noble
Peers individually, to stop an inquiry merely because
the Minister gave an answer with which another
Peer thought that the House should be
satisfied.
The law was clear, these men were pirates;g
d he hoped
therefore there would be no delicacy in treating the
and it was the duty of all who used the sea to consider all
those men as pirates, and treat them accordingly asrttlei
pirates had been treated by Raja Brooke. They had,
according to some persons, been treated a little too
much so; though he did not agree in that opinion, he

thought Raja Brooke had treated those persons
properly.
The Earl of ABERDEEN thought that as we were
not on amicable terms with Spain during the time this
expedition was preparing, it would be advisable that
we should show that we had not been lukewarm in our
interference to put a stop to it. It might be thought
that we took advantage of that circumstance to neglect
taking the proper steps against this piratical expedition.
And, to prevent such a suspicion, her Majesty's Govern-
ment ought to show that they were not lukewarm in the
exercise of their duty towards an ally. If they did so
they would justly be exposed to blame.
Earl GREY could not understand how the Nolols Lord
couldattempt to make a grave charge against his policy.
They looked on the expedition in the same light as the
American Government and the Noble Lord. Undoubtedly
the expedition was piratical; but it was a very different
thing to say her Majesty's Government had had
their attention called to the subject from answering
questions as to the precise nature of the instructions
given to the British naval Commander-in-Chief.
Their Lordships must be aware that to give information
as to the instructions given to the naval commanders
in the West Indian seas could not but be exceedingly
detrimental until we should have received further adviccs
from the West Indies. No one could deny our right to
check piracy; but it was a difficult question as to the
length we ought to go in a particular instance.
The subject then dropped.
The Bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and
their Lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 7.
DRAINAGE AND IMPROVEMENT OF LAND