The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-22 00:00:00

THE CUNT, - LONDON,

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the Home Department, if it was the intention of
the Government to introduce any measure for
the appointment of a taxing-officer in Bankruptcy.
In the Bankruptcy Bill, which had passed two years
ago, there had originally been a clause appointing a
taxing-officer in Bankruptcy ; how the clause had dis-
appeared he knew not, but he wished to know if it
was now intended to appoint a taxing-officer.
Sir J. GRAHAM had riot received the notice
which the lion. Gentleman had been kind enough to
give him of his intention to put the question
until after he had entered the House. If the Hon.
Gentleman would be kind enough to put his question
to-morrow, he would make the necessary inquiries in
the mean time, and be prepared to give him an
answer.
SPAIN—AFFAIR OF COLONEL BONET.
Mr. BORTHWICK wished to ask the Right
Hon. Gentleman a question relating to certain
occurrences reported to have recently taken
place at Alicant, in Spain. It was re-
ported in the newspapers that Colonel Ponta-
leon Bonet, who had been at the head of the late
movement at Alicant, and who had conducted himself
with great humanity towards the prisoners who had
fallen into his hands, had after a compromise entered
into by the person commanding the fort of Alicant,
with the besiegers, made application to the Com-
mander of a British ship at Alicant to receive him
on board, representing that unless he was taken on
board the ship it was impossibla that his life could be
spared, and reminding the officer in command, in con-
firmation of this inference of the treatment which other
persons in his position had experienced at the hands
of Roncali when they had fallen into his power.
It appeared—at least it was so represented—that at
the same time a major who had acted under his com-
mand made a similar application, under precisely the
same circumstances, to the captain of a French
vessel lying in the same port; that the major was
successful, and that in consequence he was at that
moment alive. On the other hand it appeared that
Colonel Bonet was refused to be taken on board
of "the British ship; that he then returned to the
shore, and in making a desperate effort to
regain the mountain, was taken, and by the orders of
Roncali, was shot instantly, and without trial. The
question which he had to put to the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman was whether, according to the representations
in the newspapers, express and direct orders had been
given to the officer commanding this and other ships,
to refuse, under these extreme circumstances, to take
on board Spanish subjects ; whether, in the absence
of these instructions, the officer, acting on his own
responsibility, had refused to take Colonel Bonet
on board ; or whether the statement was altogether
without foundation, or, as he was informed, exceed-
ingly exaggerated.
Sir R. PEEL said in answer to the question put
to him by the Hon. Gentleman, he had to state that
no specific instructions had been given by her Ma-
jesty's Government, or by any authority acting under
their con troul, with respect to applications of
this nature. The general purport of the in-
structions given to the commanders of Bri-
tish ships of war during these unfortunate
civil contentions in Spain had been to afford
protection to the lives and property of British sub-
jects, but to observe, as far as possible, strict neu-
trality between the contending parties. In this case
no special instructions had been given. It is quite
clear that if British ships of war were, as a matter
of course, to receive those who have been engaged
in insurrection against the constituted authorities,
and that were known, it would be a great
premium upon insurrection ; because they
might try the experiment with perfect assurance of
being received by a British ship of war. No express
instructions, therefore, were given with respect to the
reception of refugees, under such circumstances.
The general instructions were the same now as he
believed they had always been, to maintain, as far as
possible, strict neutrality ; and it was left to the dis-
cretion of individual officers to deal with any parti-
cular case. And with respect to the case of Colonel
Bonet, as reported in the newspapers, if he
(Sir Robert Peel) were to judge from the only report
which was in the possession of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, received from Captain Drummond himself:
he would say that the circumstances stated in the
newspapers could not have been true. He held in
his hand the report of Captain Drummond. It made
no mention of any application addressed to him by
Colonel Bonet. It introduced the name of Colonel
Bonet; but he would say that this report of Captain
Drummond was inconsistent with the accounts in the
newspapers. At the same time it was stated that the
Scout ship, commanded by Capt. Drummond, in con-
sequence of a note received from the Spanish government
of their intention to blockade the town of Alicant,
had arrived off Alicant, and that several British sub-
jects had been taken on board of the vessel, and re-
ceived protection. The report also stated, that
many application had been made by Spanish
subjects to be received on board, which were refused.
That was the whole of the information which hei
Majesty's Government had received on this subject.
As he had said before, no direct information had been
eceived from Captain Drummond as to whether any
application had been made to him.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that as no specific
instructions had been sent out, of course the conduct
of the officer in command of the vessel to which re-
ference had been made was justifiable. He (Lord
John Russell) would, however, wish to ask the Right
Hon. Gentleman whether he had any objection to
desire Captain Drummond to furnish a statement of
the transaction as far as regarded Colonel Bonet.
Sir ROBERT PEEL—I should think it a matter
of course that such a statement will be furnished to
the Lords of the Admiralty. On a question of this
sort I will take the opportunity of expressing my
abhorrence and disgust at the sanguinary proceedings
which have occurred on the part of the constituted
authorities of Spain. Their wholesale massacres
without the regular forms of trial, are doing
more to injure the character of Spain in the
estimation of the civilised world than any
other :course which the Government of that
country could pursue. Ido believe that barbarous
nations would observe greater humanity in their con-
test than is observed by both parties in Spain.
FACTORIES BILL (No. 2).
On the motion for the Order of the Day being
read for the second reading of the Factories Bill
(No. 2),
Mr. ROEBUCK said he understood from the
Speaker, that the proposition which he (Mr. Roebuck)
had made on Friday last could not be entertained by
that House. He was perfectly willing to bow to that
opinion, as he thought he should be able to bring the
proposition forward in another way. He should put
his proposition in the form of a resolution, and move
it on Friday, in going into Committee on the Fac-
tories Bill.
Mr. WARD presented a petition from Huddcrifield
against the Bill.
Captain GORDON presented a petition from Alm.-
deen, against any restrictions upon the hours o!
labour.
Mr. GODSON presented a similar petition from
eighty firms in Staffordshire.
Mr. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from a
place in Yorkshire, in favour of a Ten Hours' Bill.
Mr. WARBURTON presented a petition from
Ireland, praying that the House would pass a Bill to
employ the petitioners ten or twelve hours a day, at
such wages as the House, in its wisdom might think
fit.—(Laughter.)
Mr. FERRAND presented several petit:oas in
favour of a Ten Hours' Bill.
FACTORIES BILL.

On the motion of Sir J. GRAHAM the Order of
the Day for the second reading of the Factories Bill
was read.

Mr. HUME wished to know whether any arrange-
ment had been come to as to when the discussion on
this Bill was to take place ?
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said no arrangement
whatever had been made beyond what the Hon.
Member must be aware was stated by the Noble Lord
(Ashley) would be the course to be adopted. There
was only one clause of the Bill which at all interfered
with the period of labour; and it would be for the
Hon. Member for Montrose to consider whether it

would be more expedient to take the discussion on it
on going into Committee, or to raise it now. But
he (Sir J. Graham) should hope that as this measure
had been before the House some time, not only in this
session but in former ones, and that division after
division bad been taken upon it, he should hope that
on the whole, it would not be opposed now, but that the
discussion would be taken on going into Committee,
either on the amendment of the Noble Lord the
Member for Dorsetshire, or the resolution of the
Hon. Member for Bath. He would give notice that,
on Friday next, he would take the order for going
into Committee as the first of the day.—(Hear.)
Mr. HUME said it would be convenient to the
House if there was only one discussion, and he would
not throw any obstacle in the way of the sec( nd
reading, on the understanding that the notice just
given by the Right Hon. Gentleman would be ad-
hered to.

Mr. WARD apprehended that another discussion
would take place on the motion of which he had giuen
notice, thatithe clause should be omitted altogether.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the proposal of the
Hon. and Learned Member for Bath to take the dis-
cussion on a resolution of the whole House, before
going into Committee, was a proper and convenient
course, as it would give more solemnity to the matter
in debate to take the question before the House went
into Committee, and while the Speaker was in the
chair. He understood the Right Hon. Baronet op-
posite to say that this Bill was in conformity with
the Bills introduced on the same subject in former
years. By the clauses in the Bill of last year female
labour was restricted up to the age of twenty-one,
but by the Bill now introduced there was an en-
tirely new proposal.
Sir J. GRAHAM said he had alluded to the pre-