The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

e:-----t,..k.se iva-s ------t
t: iele;a----------'e to
el ai'l°l4l witli the s, . ' '
their chairman the power to (Mr. Roebuck) would be the first min to support. him.
ratan
~. ecretary of the Colonhs. But the ' But he did o'j -et to im.puiations of this sort being thrown
ll°Pri'qi i •"' t. to Earl Grey, acd his mouth was out without some sufficient ground.—(llear, hear.) .
tile tll. ultntdla.'iY, who demurred to the authority of The motion was then egreed, to and theu Commstrtte_e
witita„,l:4l"' Earl Grey had not de:curred t i -the appointed, coqsisting of Mr. 13 Lillie, NIrG. , iinte,,oe, imil-r.
tollieh Zercluired, nor had he a,.1“,(1 the ',rounds upon Walmsley, Sir R. Peet, Sir. J. Hoeg, Mr.,
Rot do'; Witnesses here to be called Lord' Grey did C. Villiers, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Ilea es, Mar. 'Adde'rley,
was stn
e' 'ad the only course open to. the Committee Mr. Wilson, Mr. S. Wortley, Lord Liotharn, Mr. al•Cul-
thealePP'd by the Goverrunent on the rounds which he lagh, any Mej u• Blacken.
ti ' ' were u'' d e :to
Ori of i_ • terry 111,......-`ll,Aute
th• thy
fx
.. - .Theo, as to the objee PIRATES (HEAD MONEY) REPEAL BILL.
'3, elle_ . P use to the country, he was astonished at Sir F. BARING. moved the second reading of this Bill,.
4001, md",,tt w.ls stated that these is iteesses would cost Sir G. CLERK thought some explanationseo -ht to be
caned b r iOOl. each. He had known many witnesses
bt,t, jr e 're Coretnit'eei•given before the House could agree to the ct
had
dreariel-t
in ev,,e eryptice , • who were not worth that. sum; ing of a Bill of teis description. Although he ,
1 I Cite jil.e (.! was worth its weight in gold it was a slightest doubt that the officers of her Majesty'.
iw
being 4 tll4'
where a colony c implained of martial fleet never would require aey stimulus of reward, still it
44°01. At leamstafiertaioed for mouths—(Cries of " No, no") would be unfair t t take f, from those who ventured their
I"eri ' a l''l'g time after the rebellion was over, lives those rewards to which they had. hitherto been en-
kr, Di P,,"Ple we pat to de4th b • mistake
121:41°3:61),,41::(11:tt1iLt1b.cntd:ct4:11,2.4,1t:-Lir'elintdaisliaelluibd,(3 titled without some reason being assigned. If cases of
i)e:h.edtehotifts.v:ould )rt:frain from making abuse had ariser, let the act of piracy he more acicuria'elloyt
the i tier day ; but as the defined—let ,the amount of reward be diminished—let
le(
Committee he
of his Hon, the acts, be specified to which the head money should
he was bound apple. There might be. good reason fir altering the law,
prlb4a.ratt"'nt' II°• Friend felt justified in malting the but previous to the passing of the Bill he thought some
act.y 73 he did. lle would uot s- • an; thing of the evidence ought to he laid on the table.
r'ta wil•t) `he Party or the authei t.ci4ty) of the ecument Sir F. BARING said the allowance at present
tomadet
bed l':h his lion
fureetilee.d. ,
~c_itii. lion, Friend the Ilemibier for Invenheess wet open to great objection; and it was proposed to e
tilt°,3teesitehei;°t'iti'le(e)n.. •Fldreis4striihtdnocetaiel:lesits 'it') till'i's dt y, brought
however, - of the
tnhoewdiLisi teinoemtimonandwhhaiedn expressed now
ex
1 sl: ei
3.
opinion p j.k.ttii ori gallantth
allowancesat
Chairman of the Corn- the subject sh mid be rc-Jonsid. ered, and that
fee tee",,,lt he believed, only brenght' hro+ witnesses be. ought not to be given for services now performed which
:o hcm t h al l
post of eil'o)tan;*-aitt• e two of whoM had tilled the high are not the same as these coTriltlei,ne
course which he was
rella'it 41 Seeret,Ary, and the other was an enanent anze was originally ma
.e.
as 4,7 ° eylon. The .r, f
. iiiiona
Clitleil ft;"" had b-eii appointed member of the about to pursue was this. He by no means proposed
otor
I•'ried ll not deprive those men who were engaged in this seernVitel
154bStint!ai brought forward 1 s'
e * and ahem]ted to the fair and roper rewards to which they were tale.d,
e°ollre'Jit e(in'tte,it,ny the. evidence whoseaefeplesr:ons opPinions but he thought it would be better to leave a discretion in
aoiey. 14.elve influence on the House and on the the hands of the Admiralty n
to make the payment
far ably it;tiiereetary ;
tab Reatls-is non. Friend reminded him that ore of compulsory by Act of Parliament,—(Hear.) The amount
e ' liedelinnen was summoned, not by him, but by required fir last year was very heavy,and be should be
but that circumstance' told fa- under the necessity of asking fir an estimate of 100,0001.
tor es a went
.ase• Ile believed that toe evidence, as Mr. HUME concurred in tho course taken by the Right
bisitaed bo
I;_vt_nas rather in vindicetien of the Gover- 119 'Gentleman for repealing the present Act. The
the nwa islet hr
tas.uggested by the Colonial-office.
_For pwraisnnca.i.ptole on which this head--noney had been paid
he Mien c. 7 I)
.1, from the first, at.e npted to keep l gether erroneous. It was givee to men who
ireuki eedee Jwauttee out of the Houseof Commons for
inwere paid for their services, and the practice did not exist
~.,e,
jrtegititi:,,,,atio:swvoiuthredi, as fir
las he could, to pursue the any other service then. the English. He considered it
utile '.•,,,i pro, °valeta ity and temper. This toa.. a. reflection on tie service, fir it was equivalent to say-
bisrr.:Seerets-;"ing would not have happened if the ing that our officers and sailors would not. do their duty
in "11)11 , Y had accepted the proposition he (Mr. without this additional reward. He wished to know.
dovcstigatioau made when he was prepared tai resume the when the papers which had been promised would be laid
te-ie° with sna'n„,ll,at ho was bound to say he could not on the table, and trusted that the money would not
The
t kto eni elline hope* to the House. He was not paid until. after proper inquiry had been instituted.
einkh'd hie, ar,g° in detail on statements which had Act required that every person taken or slain should be
to4l*? but-t7'ne would not introduce them into the proved to be a pirate; but in the. course of the whole
tseroly t • "6should be prl 'n Committee very of the proceedings no sufficient evidence had beet.n givtehne
)44 BeeieutZlhatre into transactions about to be discussed, to satisfy the Court. The statements respecting
le "lacere e at had occurred up stairs, he must express number killed differed exceedingly, the accounts of the
tie44lade te-h-iee'illviction that there" was an effort about to different officers stating them variously. from 600 up
the
lloa:if truth ...,%lould prevent that impartial investig 2,000. It was a matter, of great importance that
et would 4"°!ch he was sure the majority of thea- iblic money and the lives of people should not be dis-
h r. rtoLa esire,posedp of in such an inconsiderate manner. As he un-
itkplewNee hati„,oX aa.id, five Honourable Members who derstood the present Bill, it was simply a repeal
ref_ the
of 4 el' sale. all said they were sure there was to be fornier Act, and did not enact the payment of a. per
` lei'
313 d by the Government fur the purpose head.
Stetlisir..o eitiatirg...sthe investigation of the truth. That was Sir F. BARING—Yes. He could assure the. Hon.
ereele'Preee, and the House could not mistake it, that Member that very little delay would take place in the
tease yea e,"!,itoetient there was such a power being production. of the papers; and he felt satisfied that the
New keetfie I°e Colonial Government. Every one of parties alluded to were pirates.hd
thee'rk, w °len, except the Honourable Member for Mr. COBDEN said he a presented a petition from
tie," were :11° members of the Committee, and all said a public meeting on the subject of this horrible massacre.
to elltille going intro Committee to make this investiga- He did not wish to prejudice the case, but could not_ let
teedi tal,ri.
it
the whole proceeding, if he were the statement. ass without. his protest that 100,000/ was
ch, N?,.. '-c. it out of d WAS a cowardly pro-
qv% etee . OOTO, to be paid for destroying pirate,s. He could state. from
do roee lennia Proceeding to that Committee with a the highest authority at Lloyd that no appreciable rise
110t.tiee. St the Government, saying, "We cannot had taken place in the insurances' ofgoods to the eastern
teeloeet 4t' we are sure to be disappointed; we can- ocean, and that was a prima facie proof that no piracy
They was te° truth!" Why, the real thing for them had been practised on English commerce. These pro-
itltj, „a, Jetf effuse
to serve, in justice t ) themselves. ceedings had been carried on against original tribes,
vainetiaoli of he Under Colonial Secretary with an which were never contemplated when the Act passed,
Fare t: t Per
veiling the investigation, and be fn. the object of the Act was to protect commerce
l
a4° i;5 eh if ever- therewhich
hiewhas- a charge more against the outlaws of civilized states.—(Hear, ear.,
4-4. t th.,,—tracter thauthat bad been brought A rigid inquiry must take place into the Borneo mas-
tteleffeet; ?overnnaent, and which, if proved, would sacre. The tribe which had been slaughtered was carry-
teetrie
, IST;"11.Y destroy the character of the Govern- ing on a predatory warfare
p' tle held at What ground was the charge made? Be. but no proof
,had been givewnitthh at
theyueig ever mgolested
gos4liree "' that when a certain number of Members English commerce or an
.Englishthat
• The question
.4.tOsserstaeriet4te. got up and made charges against the was between two small tribes who inhabited a country
the'i. h 1-t•f"„,eatlPposed they had got a mass of evi- contiguous to that taken possession of somehow. or other
*Pie44Pgee vr'"' rl they would not hazard anything. by Raja Brooke, who fitted out an expedition to make
knR °llght to
nett& °ll th .be grounded on some considerations an. attack on these
,s.avages, who had been slaughtered
le -era of /, ° evidence. But here were four or five in a manner surpassing the ravages of Trafalgar or the
\tltikt wee arnament charging the Secretary for the Nile, whilst. not a man had been killed on board the
°4:3' 114 serious dishonesty. They had got Ceylon English ships. .It seemed to have been a complete
!late:tad whe.itfd of an insurrection which had broken battue, with as little defence on the part of the natives as
Ike .4tiott which.
had been suddenly suppressed, after a would have been made by a flock of. sheep. He trusted
I,4l44ittely°: Martial law; and certain proceedings that no money would be voted until the evidence was
gstbliesee fro Piece, Piece, the r esult of which was imme- prodaced, and. that if the documents laid on the. trkle.
* ete II °4l
244 ee 9 . that time to the prevent. Now let the should not disprove the accounts which had reached this
itstitat tio i et. that Ceylon was called a colony, but it country, the Government would grant a Committee of
Iliottilirge 1 the common acceptation of the term. It inquiry.—(Hear,
,hear.).
Slingl4h -eP"dencv • h population which was Sir H. VERNEY said that if Hon. Gentlemen took
'f wss ' hat Wholly' foreignwita and the dependency k Yof - a sthe trouble to go into the subject they would find that
-to te .-ftquered dependency. We had a small if this country, or any other, desired to carry on coal:-
ON ghat th • h .
, kid Or r,,, ere, wit.. a -ostile population, with
Cmelcial transactions in the seas between ustra la d
'NI etl A r resenting England. If that House was to bine, the extermination of piracy was absolutely neces-
14IPster,titils'ipgilts on all occasions of tying the bands sary.—(Hear, hear.)
1150'o:wed in the energies of those whO had a _ isncroe-__
thatl THOMPSON said, in reply to the speech
they had just heard, that all he and those who
ii reoe; iti tho_ al. as representing the. , overeig
bef
ItILI I (latter:o distant climes, ho said there couldthought with him wanted was evidence. They were
illorl.httatY its tee4.s office if that House undertook it, and. not fond of pirates—they did not admire or defend them.
`4 ir the "uetley in that House and in the eoun • Show them that they were pirates—(Hear, hear)—and
Ittst hs4) t'altry purposes of pitiful popularity— they would readily encourage any Act to suppress them.
tt Lila acts-t was the carping and the carv- But he knew that the public had a strong. feeling at the
ii-Ilt L.,'111% of those who represented the coun- prt sent moment against any temptation being hehld
forces
pl,lilttieW,,r Itticiti3O.dte of action ° tended to pinion men to go about the world, bearing with them t e
hi,,, ilj the ,
oL_G,O,B 0 who r.epresented us in every of the army and navy, and saying to those they mu et,
st,4l.t.,svas
A., r.-1,(1, and to interfere with every enter- "Is there anybody we can kill fur you under the name
Itti_ v, agree_ this ground that he stood t upto enter of pirates and charge them in the bill? ”—(Laghter.)
sti 'estl3'utoteB,,u°ol) and earnestly agents such pre- That was what the public dreadei ; and knowing the
lee "lipe'fle,r,,':„ What had they got on this occasion? weakness of human nature and the excellence of that
public prayer, " Lead us not into tembtation," they were
ih Owh'eoeeee i urringtor, who he believed
.to have been
t;', the" disp.',o7o', and he oaly hoped he did not white anxious that measures should be taken to sift these
transactions whenever they occurred. Supposing the
t,41,!4e, 'blest °lee. But of this he was sure,
thought
of L.tty
ci taite,F of a hostile population—ho. case to be that an individual with a conside.rtib.e force
I 'l,) cite h,'lng of them—Lord Torrington had in udder his command had gone to some position where
e'litinetsliiet and the than any man to prevent the effusion some petty tribes were warring together, what would he
le 're e People 5t if he had tampered and played with have to do but to take one side, and say that all the
her side were pirates?—(A laugh.) Was that not a
el:See°o Nil tor that sort he would have had war,
hand
other si-Ic were pirates?—(A laugh.) Was that not a
had been kiiled a thousand woud have possible easel—did they not know that some of them
ittp4,lo7 tlsio. e',l been killed a thou”nd wou:d ave
la their fingers on its actual occui-rence?fiThe
he
e)! te 1 tepees, 1.5.14 when Hon. Gentlemen found the
tle'eoln 4, .h, n'lng that things had been done con- acre things, therefore, in which the public looke with
etid rary to Protested he should like to know what great jealousy in the present state of affairs, and they
P:kite:l°°Y. law in Ceylon. Ceylon was a conquered were, therefore, particularly. anxious to promote an al-
kenehe Std 1,"0 lew of Ceylon was not the law of terstion of the law with regard to head-money for pi-
OR Ka or Zd'allieh law was only introduced by the rates caeteree,
Ott *heth L'Y Act of Parliament. He wished to The Bill was then read 0 second time.
tioe ether te
le teal I Drool,. `lre was anything to prevent the AUS I'RALIAN COLONIES.
'ef,, ‘1,4 Dr-tha, ing martial law. Ho had known The report was brought up and agreed to, and leave
114tegoti*-;)("ineed under this constitution, and was given to bring in a Bill founded thereon.
Ittltinoattelder4th.
etlie found that persons had been co_n • REGISTRAR'S OFFICE (BANKRUPTCY) BILL.
lee''' if for that law, '.aw, and he found no sympathy This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
oi,heoyiu.. it
w_eu Ire, that House. But. he wanted to commtted.
°rllslea"; lie " illegal to proclaim martial law ARMY AND ORDNANCE EXPENDITURE.
a 'at 'co G wait told there was a judge, and that he Mr. F. M AIME (in the absence of the Chancellor of
tt k° ' over
at 'ltteeNleee , °or. Did no one know the history the Exchequer) reeved the re-appointment of the Select
They Committee on army and ordnance expenditure, which
Otte" Engl.' ant
disputes and he believed the reason was agreed to.
',ate tea i tah law • '
netiree, 11 Lidi 3•Frs were not statesmen. Look at THE MERCANTILE MARINE.
14°14 (htet ta I his Hon. Friend the Member for The House having resolved itself into Committee, Ur.
)41 oejeted Le li) know what they were. When they Bernal in the chair,
ittellad 114 toilhshrlawyers they went to loggerheads. Mr. LA.BOUCHERE moved for leave to introduce
tet°lek Nee, ? ltause dealing with distant colonies;
k.t, nod wit_ Chins,. and other places in the same di- three Bills for improving the condition of masters, mates,
and seamen in the merchant service: far the regulation
wi3lll, Tn. GnY should they for party purposes inter-
till_ the entiereee of the Merchant Seamen's Fund: and for the regulation
ht rew e had uo"ev. Li who complained would do well
of the aimeasuremeat of the tonnage and burden of the
11t0,1% le; "oPe of justice, and that they would
't the `I4•LIE merchant shipping. At the close of last session he
.hid
stated his views on this important subjeet, and laid a
oh. er_Preelae. would not allude to the question oche- on the table of the House for circulation among the
"Rs'" dere "'ail" of
g 4 se • led th martial law was justifiable or Members. That Bill had been materially altered in
olf' Iliggilat tk 41 any non. Gentleman hal made any
tk "Ile h'AIP, ""° Governor. many respects in consequence of communications from
4t 0 Said various pats of the country. The evils which the Bill
Ge *hi° heel that as long as be had teen in the proposed to remedy were three—The ignorance. and in•
l'o,"tlere h ha never hi and such a tyrannical speech as
et nie4ll, ft been
male by the Hon. and Learned competence of the captains and mates, which, in many
Id was ta_mnunted to this—that the will of Lord instances, were a discredit to the merchant service; the
want of discipline among the crews, which prevailed
ttl tied 4 eci 1,4 u ,he law, and if there was martial law
)ftlito,tl4,illot heenactlthe better. He contended that fair to a fearful extent ; and the system of contracts
kteltlfe 4 the
,given, and that a proper opportunity whch was adopted.—(Hear, hear.) In order to
dowtliejtalee pe'rintlesses had not been afforded. Alany remedy these def cis it was proposed in the
Nell the he. civil '°llll said that there was no rebellion, first instance to constitute a department of mer-
cantile marine of part of the Board of Trade, responsible
Illeiged kthature.P°w°r would have been sufficient to put
to the country and to Parliament for carrying out the
Iktill,„'the,n4rtitti 1:L1°0, but that Lord Torrington pro-
provisions of the Bill, and the general superintendence
tfliem die I:roteeti "1 and took every individual from
of the mercantile marine. This department should
thti'te, 4(.1'4442° of the law.—(Hear. hear.) Then
comprise two captains, who would aesi,t the President
Pei: Preeatl hy artiat were constituted of; three junior
of the Board of Trade. It was proposed to establish a
tie he 'Nine LOrd Torrington's order no records of
system of examination for m stars and mates—the Act
th, %it, has te Were taken. Now was not such a
in this respect to be prospect.ve and not retrospective—
Ileetitee. riencrietleugh to alarm the friends of lib•rty? and to appoint public shipping officers instead of licens-
toe' )hashie, "ad risen from his last night's sleep a
Ist Ilse ,t,,it and was ing agents. Those at present engaged as masters and
1. of • th., en hi._ , no longer the man he (.Mr.
mates should ba supplied with certificates of service, but
'4lt lade" alert; fiat law
tor.— (Laughter.) Lord Tarring- mates
they were dismissed for impropriety of conduct. then
°,llletNet rtitlity "11 laW in operation until he passed an
they ought to be deprived of their certificates, without
Olt !' 1/44%!tt, '
,f 0 that no court of law could question
they could not be re-engaged, and so the Act
tteote,J°4tyteau, that act had received the sanction which
tbie aelia ef the
,\lovernmente Ho (Mr. Hamel, during provided. In 1836 an Act was passed regulating the
able
the : Committee in uired if anof the ro- taking of apprentices on board of merchant vessels sail-
tioti ',I Wl', beVunsernarti'l had been transmitted to lag from this country, but the provisions of it did not
t° "10 411 -' f°lllld that anthoething of the kinclhad been seem to be adhered to,
rarrnotwithstanding the Government
litk,t,°44se" elk fullad that }le.% ii, .4% ecutions • Noble Lord had sane- had done their best to__ay_oygout the provisions of that
Act.—(Hear, hear.). II i , therefore, foiled in that
e eeereopl actioe without any document whereon
;elle) teed ti I, '''. He also proposed that Lord Tor-ii e e t ere •respect, her Majesty's Government had taken
up the matter, and by the introduction of
gee, of e 0e„ quired to give an explanation, but
the proposed measure anticipated that. they. would. be
the hi.: ItteOve Vear and answer the questions. He
'ttte'llteee attee9eved that any man would have sane- able to do away with many of the evils which prevailed
cot `.4Ote ok, Cities with under the present system. The Government had done
tt_
.te .8 i., et i• without some better excuse than
Alt! tto4 4 tee, blue-book
Grey had done so. From the their best to carry out the provisions. of the Bill of 1836,
I" th l, se cow: "lue-book it would appear that Lord
"11 ' list"th ai "rd his confiscations. *to perishable but it had failed in realising. the objects anticipated from
tit °f ehe (if 4 .t‘'lttle and it. The measure which he was now about to submit to
the House would, he trusted, supply the deficiency of
th thq Leh ~,rtleica ,_, corn ; but the fact was, that
14, eliPlittieture eeicit,"Keti
_were jewellery, clothes, &e., that Act. In regard to the registryotf
aseamen it
particular
was proposed by the
.present measure that
ii_ eed7eee : hese f Public auction. And when. s?nade
41.511 p':11/43A1rist ,Viperty had levee taken inquiireh office should be established for that purpose. In regard
e,,tittiheetila.r, hea7e,ol,Ahey found that. none cioude to the discipline and the general conduct of the sailors
Ctitit'e!o,., 4_taldinc„. ? He was astoniehe Ito find his the measure which he was about to submit to the House
`4l,ltien.ti eitnil eZ.,°,,F,tnas the advocate oftyranr and laid down certain rules. In regard to the registration
tialr.glie.(/1",, the facts
g those who were better ac- of seamen, the measure lie was about to submit to the
e
House also made provision. In so fir as. regarded
tit',4lq,.°Elit?, hear "3 than himself of popularity
e•ti eeletel elt ' a.nd laughter.) notes granted to seamen, instead of pursuing the present
ki e, 44 railer attributed the observations of his system, it was intended to establish un office for the
tlid %°°l Y wish k a tn. ' 'of his
11 0,, utith„ to ,s, Isupprehension
(k: AL "a tR• "`Brepresent him. His Hon. Friend arise. Upon the whole, he considered that the measure
t‘ttl,re7te' li(a, 4° 10 irohs his own kind f ••elings, which would be attended with the greatezt benefit, not only to
eo'etteOtlieg Akio h elearesightedness.—(Leughter.) the seamen themselves, but the mercantile interest gene•
gi e,) "cd ' "ad drawn that distinction between
to, °1 ii Illil 40,Nir distant detp.endneiCs, and if his Hon rally; and he,
.therefore. would at once submit to the
House the motion be had read at the commencement of
tii,slll: Ofr. /I"nderstand his address.
tk,„. huohro._ Otbuot, _ chat difference, nit language
do Mr. CARDWELL would only ask the assurance of
th:lll4e';. hi ‘7, how! waver,
old . use would make him
a. ,
the Right lion. Gentleman that ho would nut fix a day
,l)e,tleoto , lion. ,e. r. did understand the di it--
i„ st,,, .5.,... t'orrto,k riend believed in the charges for the second reading of the Bill until tho country had
44e lite Uieare(°° the sooner he was impeached amp e
l time for consideration. The Right Hon. Gentle-
-1)ihft(1:1111I j , man was good enough to pay a compliment to those
al lt(OL'ht.r "lit hie, whom he (Mr. Cardwell) had the honour of represent-
ti, beh4. tette .) , but I cannot get him
hag, and t) that institution in Liverpool, the " Sailors'
tq,'ltt, ister K--. The
home,." which carried out by voluntary contributions the
Ole i het, ";"-the h ° again there was the Colo-
or, tiab lfe, ead aud frontof objects which the Bill now before the House d
propose
kr,,; Itiinstittiti ill Mr. nu_. tbo offence.—
q,, ;,;,, ~t ~,,,,tn ail he h, ?le.) If his Hon. Friend to effect. He also observed that the opposition to the
measure of last year came from those of the highest
Ott.: (el,. ):ee t. a
.. ed eaid he would not find a , „coility in the shipp:nz tree, and in brineirg for-
tt ~; Ie- -.ere, 1„1".' " f'• Ilia Hen. Friend recP,e'ee'ei',,, , Leil :•;,,i - -'i R hope iI,P t it ?, ~tll4
ir -I hinlthill3,ptedeteiu'ranalatiet.:it;;hill.to't preventcBh at
reg) 'e I 'ix
i' v.
sal e s'
he
' i 'e-' i t: 'll'i,,;‘,-.lt'e. the evils when :-•Liit- ;. and ..;vCen down the
a.. a gro-
opposition so given it. He (Mr. Cardwell) was appre-

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING,

Com:nission proposed to consolidate the administration
of the fund, and place its management in the Trinity
House, and it proposed to raise a fond for the purpose
of aiding the general fund, by putting a tsx of I'. a ton
on shipping. It proposed that in consideration of the
Trinity House taking the management ( f the fund, the
25.0001. annually paid into that board for a similar pur-
pose should bo united with it; and also that after five
years no further pensions should be granted to widows.
Those wore provisions which he did not feel warranted
in departing from, and the proposals which he bad to
make to the House were such as, he believed, would
place the fund upon a proper footing. Ho agreed with
the opinion come to by Lord Ellen borough's Com-
mission, that this fund should be brought under a
central management; as local boards, besides en-
tailing unnecessary expense, would lead to local
abuser. At the same time he thought that the ms-
nagement ought not to be invested in a local board,
and he therefore propose, as Lord Ellenborough's Com-
mission recommended, to vest the general management
of this fund in the Trinity Board. The fact f their
having 25,0001. a year at their disposal fir similar pur-
poses was a great argument in favour of that arrange-
ment, under which an amalgamation of that find with
the general fend might easily be made. He ghoul .l
propose, also, that the two captains who were to assist
the President of the Board of Trade in matters belong-
ing to the mercantile marine, should assist at this board,
and so give it a character of Government responsibility.
The next point lie had to call attention t was the Le-
cessity of increasiog the comforts of sailors in their old
age, so far as they were administered to by this faro.
With that view he should propose that no pension should
be leis than at the rate of 6d a day, and that as the con-
tributions were equal, the pensions should be equal too.
To do all that, he proposed to raise the subscription from
ls. to ls. Gd. per month; and he had beer assured by
those most conversant with the feelings of these classes
of men, that the intention of the increase would be
readily appreciated and cheerfully complied with. After
the lapse of five years he proposed to revert to the old
rule, as to the admission of the names. To put the fund
on a footing of solvency, it would be necessary, not-
withstanding the assistance he hai yet mentioned, that
a sum of 30,0001. should be added. He did not propose
to raise that 30,0001. by a tax on the shipowner, or on
wages, but he proposed that it should be given by the
Sta'e. Considering the national importance of the ob-
ject in view, he thought that proposition fair and unob-
jectionable. These were the alterations he proposed
should be made in the present system, which he thought
it would be scandalous to allow to exist longer, and he
believed that the course he had suggested would be satis-
factory to the House.—(Hear.)
Mr. HUME said he had great reason to doubt whether
the pensions would be equalised by centralising the
administration of the fund. If the Right Honourable
Gentleman had fully taken into consideraion the re-
commendation of the Committee of which he had
spoken, he would have made some proposition with
reference to the lighthouse dues paid by shipping.
If is. per ton only on all shipping were paid, it was
ascertained that the sum so raised would be sufficient
for all the lighthouses, and to pay a fixed sum, very
nearly amounting to sixpence, to the seaman. The
Trinity House was, in fact, a burden on shipping, and
the lighthouse dues should be abolished.—(Hear.) It
would be a great advantage if the commanders of mer-
' cheat ships could, after fifteen or twenty years' service,
retire upon a pension the same as officers in the army.
It would be the best way to retain the services of
capable men. The present system was perfectly absurd,
when the Trinity-house could grant pensions at their
will and pleasure, whereas it ought to be in the hands ot
responsible parties under the Government. It was also
an anomaly and injustice that yachts should be exempt
from the payment of lighthouse duties when every
coaster had to pay them.
Sir GEORGE CLERK said there would be groat
difficulty in establishing an equal and uniform rating in
consequence of the state of the outports. some of which
were solvent, while others were in difficulties. With
regard to pensions to seamen, the sum they contributed
ofo nonoef asnixd sixpence pseevnecn a
o un month
ewouldcsr bneositdaelslomaw
koifnga
spoemne-
sprovision for their widows. He approved of the policy
of raisieg the fund by a tonnage duty of one shilling
per ton. He thought the shipowners would not object
to such an arrangement, and he therefore thought it
would be preferable to the plan now proposed, which
would eventually, though indirectly, be paid by the ship-
pds a y
ship-
owner.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said there was a great difficulty
in settling this question from the opposition given by
the local boards at the outports. It was with great re-
luctance that he increased the contributions of the sea-
men, but when it was accomFanied by a grant of 30,000/.
a year, the seamen would see it was for their advantage,
and be perfectly satisfied with it. Great advantages had
been derived by the coasting trade by the alterations
which were made last year in the lighthouse dues, which
were acknowledged by those parties. The Liverpool and
Dublin Steam-packet. Company saved 3,0001. a year by
the alteration made in the pilotage alone.
Mr. FAGAN said the merchants of Cork were op-
posed to the system of centralisation, but he did not con-
cur in that opinion. He hoped, however, that the ac-
cumulations acquired by economical management would
not be taken away from the ports where they had been
aggregate 1.
Sir W. CLAY said he preferred the former mode, but
thought something ought to be done to remove the in-
s Avency of the outports.
Mr. CARDWELL said, the difficulty arose out of the
insolvency caused by the local mismanagement, but he
was not encouraged by the central management which
had already prevailed. If he understood rightly, the
central fund was to be in the hands of the Trinity Board,
assisted by certain persons from the Board ot Trade.
Ho feared the latter would have too much to say in the
matter. He thought they had better reserve the more
general discussion for the second reading.
Mr. HEADLAM tendered his thanks for this measure,
on the part of the shipowners, but he thought that
good management should be ensured by fixed rules. He
ra.her object to the control of the Trinity House.
He sLould r ither see it invested under the control of
seine responsible board, wit's, its representative in that
House, so that if any /Ouse took place they could at
once call for an explanation.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. LABOUCHERE asked leave to bring in a Bill
for an improved measurement of the tonnage of the
merchant shipping of this country. Ho would state very
shortly the general principles upon which it was founded,
and he might state generally
that he was mainly in-
debted to Lord John Hay for the principles upon which
this measure was foundeo, and that it was not grounded
upon any experience immediately within his own know-
ledge. The Right Hon. Gentleman explained the present
mode of ascertaining the tonnage of a ship, by which
considerable injustice was done to the large class of ships,
as c mapared with those of a smaller burden. He recom-
mended the new system upon the authority of the Com-
missioners, acid the bo.t scentific authorities. He did
not apprehend that there would be any practical difficulty
in adjusting the new system to the old system. lie con-
cluded by moving a resolution for leave to bring in the
Bill

heusive that it would net effect the object which no
doubt the Right Honourab!e Gentleman had iu view.
In the first pines., it made the masters of merchant
vessels the mere creatures of the Board of Trade,
for no vessel, hereafter, could have a muster in com-
mand of such vessel, unless he possessed a certificate
from that Board. 'rile Bill proposed that all those
who had hitherto commanded •inerchant vessels should
have a certificate of service ; but in future—that is,
after the passing of the Act—every seaman becoming a
master must produce a certificate that he r assed the ex-
amination of officers or cxminers appointed by the Board
of Trade. They would be therefore the mete creature
of that Board, inasmuch as their certificate could be
withdrawn at the pleasure of that body.
Mr. LABOUCHERE replied Oat such was not the
case. A master could only be removed on sentence of a
competent tribunal.
Mr. CARDWELL-=Whether the provisions of the
Bill were right or wrong, they certainly, to his mind, ren-
dered the masters of merchant vessels the mere creatures
of the Board. Ther., again, the engagement between the
mariner and shipoener must be under the superinten-
dence of the portmaster appointed under the Bill, and it
cannot be a valid engagement unless that officer, +(she
was appointed by the same Board, approve of it.—
(lit ar,, hear.) The provisions of the Bill of last session
did certainly create en apprehension among shipowners,
that being now exposed by the repeal of the navigation-
laws to foreign competition, they had net the opportu-
nity of arailing themselves of the cheaper services of
foreign seam m. They see that their difficulties must,
of necessity, be increased if that BM restricted them in
the manner proposed. Objections were also made to the
production of the log-book, because the shipping in-
terests said that many private transactions were entered
in that book, which ought no', ftr many reasons, be
submitted to the Board of Trade. All these were mat-
ters on which the Right Hon. Gentleman must be pre-
pared t ) expect a considerable discussion, and certainly
nothing could be more frank than his conduct through-
out, or more ready to receive suggestions to improve the
measure now brought forward. At the present stage of
the Bill he (Mr. Cardwell) should say no more than to
express a hope the Right Hon. Gentleman would give
them ample time for the consideration of all the difficul-
ties he had suggested.
Mr. HUME said the Bill might be of great use, or be
productive of great evil, and certainly no one who at-
tended before the Committee on the navigation-laws but
must come to the conclusion that something was neces-
sary to be done for the merchant seamen. Ho was glad
the registration of seamen was done away with, for in
his opinion it provel an entire failure; wad altogether
he was gratified some step had been made to ameliome
the condition of the seamen, who were one of the most
neglected class of her Majesty's subjects. As the Right
Hon. Gentleman spoke so much in favour of the Ame-
rican mercantile marine. he (Mr. Hume) was induced to
ask him whether he would consent to have in every sea-
port schools for the education tf those youths who in-
tended to enter the merchant service? He remembered
also that in the evidence given before that Committee by
eminent merchants, they stated distinctly that when they
had foreign cargoes to send to this country.they always
preferred a foreign vessel to an. English one, and foreign
sailors to an English crew, because they said their goods
were taken more care of, and a better class of officers
was always found on board than in English merchant
vessels. He preferred that when disputed questions
were raised in ports the matter should be referred to the
magistrates as now, instead of leaving it to the arbitra-
tion of the port-masters, which be believe I would lead
to great mischief upon the most helpless class of men in
the community. There were many other objections to
the measure; and he therefore hoped that the Right Hon.
Gentleman would consider the question most carefully.
He had long been of opinion that an inquiry, something
after the manner of a coroner's inquest, should be held
where practicable, on the cause of a shipwreck; but
having taken the trouble of writing upwards of 250
letters to the shipping interests on the subject, he only
received five letters from persons who agreed with him.
Lord Auckland had established such a rule in the navy,
and in a report which he lately saw of a ship wrecked
near Whitby, it was found that the accident occurred
because there was no chart on board. He trusted, ups
der all the circumstances, that ample time would be given
before the discussion on the second reading came on.
Mr. RICARDO complimented the Hon. Gentleman
the Member f)r Liverpool on his very moderate tone of
observation on the Bill; but as to the injury inflicted on
the owners of vessels by this measure, the Hon. Gentle-
man must know that one of the greatest difficulties they
now had to contend with was the notorious misconduct
of many who commanded British merchant vessels. They
could not shut their eyes to that fact; and the sooner
such an evil was remedied the better. Then, as to the
registration of seamen, he wished to know from the
Right Hon. Gentleman the President of the Board o
Trade—as he did not distinctly understand his state.
went on the subject—whether that registration was dis.
con tinned by the present Bill.

Mr. LAB-OUCIiERE observed that he should in the
firit instance, inform the Hon. Gentleman the Member
_ _

for Montrose, that although no naval schools at present
existed, or were provide 1 for in the Bill, for the purposes
he alluded to, yet there would accrue under it a fund
more than sufficient to pay the officers and that
the Government would willingly appropriate to assist
in the establishment of such schools, at the different
ports. With regard to the question of the Hon. Gentle-
man the Member for Stoke-upon-'Tent, power was given
by the Bill t abolish registration, but it was not
thought proper to do so without great consideration, or

_
in a summary manner. It was not the intention of the
Bill to interfere at all with such institutions as the

" Sailors' Home," in Liverpool ; on the contrary, he
should be glad to appoint the managers of such institu-
tions portma,ters wherever it was practicable. He
should not fix the second reading of this Bill without
giving due notice to the House, and allowing time to
consid.r it.

Mr. FOSTER asked if the coasting trade was to be
brought under the authority ( f the shipping masters?
Mr. LABOUCLIERE replied that it would not.
Mr. BROWNE wished to know if these shipping mas-
ters were to draw up the engagements between masters
and seamei, or whether they were to act merely as
notaries public, to witness and give validity to the do-
oument?

Mr. LABOUCIIHRE observed that the business of
the shipping msster was to see the engagement was a
proper one, and that every justice should be done to all
parties.

- Mr. WAWN had opposed the Navigation Bill of last
session, because he foresaw that restrictions would be
placed on shipoweers in manning their vessels. That,
surely, wai not free-trade.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND BILL.
Mr. LABOUCHERE then asked leave to bring in a
Bill for the better regulation of the Merchant Seaman's
Fund. He need not remind Honourable Gentlemen of
the feeling of dissatisfaction which prevailed among sea-
men in consequence of the present management of that
fund. It had long been the subject of complaint, com-
missions were issued to inquire into the subject, Bills
were brought in to remedy the abuses, but the evil still
remained, not only unabated, but increase], and was con-
saintly increasing, until at last the subject was brought
to such a condition that it was impossible the
Government could any longer refrain from inter-
fering. The Institution from which the Merchant
Seaman's fund originated, was established in 1746,
previous to which a sum of 6d. was levied from
every sailor for some such purpose as that then
contemplated, but no advantage was derived from
it. In 1746 some of the principal merchants
thought to establish a sort of Greenwich Hospital for
merchant seamen, and the Government of the' day,
consulting the feelings of the seamen, and anxious to
conciliate them (it being the year which followed the
great rebellion of 1745), co-opesated with that company,
and an Act was passed incorporating them. Its object
was to give the merchant service that which t!'e Royal
Hospital of Greenwich conferred on sailors in the royal
navy. They proposed to erect an hospital of that de-
scription, to grant pensions to sick and disabled seamen,
and also to the widows and orphans of those who were
either killed or drowned. A power was also given by
the Bill to raise a shilling from every captain, and six •
pence from every seaman, in addition to the sixpence
paid to Greenwich Hospital. That find was support !d
by the great merchants of that time, and although un-
fortunate7y they possessed none of its records, as they
were destroyed by fire, it seemed to have worked very
well for a considerable length of time. It was, the
House would remember, particularly intended for pen-
sioning the widows and orphans of those who were either
killed or wounded in the service.— (Hear, hear.) Subse-
quently, however, a great change took place between
182 a and 1830, for it happened that the great merchants
who supported it withdrew from the shipowning trade,
and persons of an inferior class having succeeded them,
the private subscriptions greatly fell off, and the funds
in consequence were reduced to such a condition, that in
1833 an Act, which now regulates the society, was
passed raising the imposing contribution from is. to 2s.
on masters, and from 9d. to ls. on seamen. By that Act
all widows, without distinction, were to be pensioned,
even if their husbands had not been either killed or
drowned. The fund under that Bill completely failed
—its relief was perfectly inadequate—the complaints of
the seamen who had compulsorily contributed to it was
justly loud, and if this system continued, the fund would
soon be reduced to the brink of ruin. The inequality of
the pensions to equal contributors arose from the fact
of the pensions being made payable at the
place where the party had resided for the last
five years, or had been a contributor, whereas the
ports where the seaman contributed the most were
commonly not those where he settled down in his
old age. As an evidence of this, he might state
that Liverpool, with a tonnage of 407,000, had
ht110,9a0nd141;40a20,4, recipients, phr i
had 2,053
recipients,
hsw;aeedcsaisup7tinl4eedön,etrw:le,iletanihnpdd:ae
recipients.
n n a, lo of 311 , 000 ,
ish:hite
The
ha
etonnageinequality
with af
of the pensions was exhibited by the following statement
in a return on the subject. At Belfast the rate of pen-
sion was 71. 10e; at Liverpool, 71.; Dunde; 61.; New-
castle, 1416 4.; Wbitehavcn, IL 105.; Poole, 11. 14%; and
at Sunderland it was very small, but he had no return.
The insolvency of the fund had been the subject of an
inquiry a few years ap by the Committee over which
Lord Ellenborough preside], assisted by Mr. Finlayson,
the eminent Government actuary, and it was then found
beyond a doubt that the find was in a state of complete
insolvency, and was progressing fast to absolute ruin.
The assets and liabilities of the fund on the 31:.t Decem-
ber, 1846, estimated according t s the principles applicable
to a benefit society, stood thus, in round numbers:—
The value of existing pensions was 506,000/, of invest-
ments, 202,0001, balance in hand, 29,0001., making a total
' of 231,0001; thus leaving a balance against the fund.
The balance against the fund under the manage.
mont of the London Corporation was 107,0001,
anal the hmliece against the out-ports funds WAS
106 ,u. only arec,.Ary ,-41s.Lee fit, thilt
meat to pet ceive the utter hopelessness of the situation
in which this fund case placed. Lord Ellaborough's

Sir GEORGE CLERK asked for ample tire to con-
sider the question.
The res.lution was read.
The motion was then agreed to, and the House re-
sumed.

PARLIAMENTARY:V:OvoTif IRELAND.
yoLr leave
voters in
bring in. a Bill to amend the laws which regulate the
quSalitrticlaVtlioLnLianA;rlegBi:lrla
proposedt e poor.
nT theh e There
terms were
oof one
eo
Br i
lt
lw two
ta
lasttera
ytieoanrs.
LE:4ll6lr 1 i moved
tsl enl tRa
Ireland. He proposed the abolition of all the franchises
which now exist, with tho exception of the rating for
whiiicehmheet
with no opposition last session on the great principle of
the Bill, namely, the substitution of a fixed rating. As
he was so fortunate on the last occasion, be might with
the greater reason claim the attention of the House on
the present occasion. He should say very little on the
minor details of the Bill. In the third clause of the Bill
there was a new franchise given, namely, where there
was an estate in fee of the value of five pounds. In the
transition state in which property
was at present in
Ireland to be very valuable. The that was likely
alte-
rations were few, and he hoped Viet Gentlemen on both
sides cf the House would see the necessity of this mea-
sure. There was one effect which be looked for from
this measure of great importance, namely, that it would
induce the landlords to giro the land in tee, and with it,
as a consequence, a certain tenure, the uncertainty of
the tenure and holdings having hitherto been the greatest
disathantage to the tenants in Irelard.
Mr. STAFFORD hoped that in giving leave to bring
in this Bill it would be understood that no one committed
himself to the details. He reserved to himself full
liberty to deal with this franchise when it came before
the Howe. He grieve i that the first measure for
Ireland should deal with
political changes rather than
with measures for the sustentation of human life. The
state of things in the Kilrush and other unions was a
disgrace to them and the Government. He hoped
another week would not pass over without Government
stating what they intended to do for these desolated
districts.
Sir D. NORREYS did not concur in the views of the
Hoe. Gentleman opposite. It was absolutely necessary
to revise the franchise. Houses that let for 11/; and 121.
previous to the late famine' and were rated at 6L and 71.,
were now rated at a much lower rate than even that
named by the Right lion. Gentleman in his Bill.
Mr. H. A. HERBERT said he wished the Right
Hon. Gentleman to understand that any franchise based
on the present poor-law valuation would be most unjust
and unequal.
Mr. MAURICE O'CONNELL considered the 81.
rate too high. He should prefer that as they had adopted
the rating as the basis of the franchise, that every one
who was bound to support the paupers should have a
vota His great objection to the Bill was that the Iran-
chi.e was fixed at t-io high a rete. The standard adopted
by the Right Hon. Baronet might have been correct at
the time he first took it up, but in the interval the value
of property had fallen so much, that it was no longer
applicable. He knew that in his own union they must
have a re-valuation, and that then a large reduction
must take place. But he wished to see the franchise
extended, independent of any landlord. Being a land-
lord himself, he wished no control over the vote of any
men.—(Hear, hear.) But what he did say was, give
every man who was struggling with difficulties, in order
to reeint sin an independent pesition, whil at the same
time he was fell worse than the paupers in their work •
houses, at least the chance of righting those wrongs
which f,lse legislation saddled him with.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. F. FRENCH sad he felt compelled to enter his
most decided disapproval of this Bill. They bad had
many others proposed in that House, but this was the
first that meddled with the rights of those who already
pdo:t7oenstteod the
the vrnoatee.hirTrhye merely an ad-
p
00r..:
ate
in
Ireleel He th.st r
jot, mere tools, driven up to the hustings by the landlord,