The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-23 00:00:00

POOR-LAWS.

Mr. M. SUTTON moved the order of the day for
bringing up the report on the Poor-law Amendment
Bill, for the purpose of postponement.
Captain PECHELL complained of the course taken by
the Government in postponing this measure. He thought
it was unfair to lion. Members who had that morning
attended in their places, believing that this Bill would
be brought on.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
Bill had been postponed to suit the convenience of many
lion. Members.

Mr. HAWES deprecated the custom of postponing
Bills of great importance to the latest period of the
session.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
the Government had done all they could to accommodate
Hon. Members, and he thought it was unfair in the Hon.
Gentleman to complain of the course they had taken.
The Railways Bill had been fixed on Friday night for
tlvelve o'clock to-day.
Captain PECHELL did not think this explanation
satisfactory. The Right Hon. Gentleman had got out of
his difficulty by stating that which was not tt:e tact.
The CIIA.NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER called
upon the Hon. Member for an explanation.
Captain PECHELL said the Right Hon. Gentleman
had stated that the Railways Bill was to be brought on at
twelve o'clock. This was not the fact, for it was put
down in the order for one o'clock. He thought the
Chancellor of the Exchequer owed him an apology for
the course he had taken.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I owe
he Hon. Gentleman no apology, and therefore shall
ender him none.

The Bill was then postponed till Wednesday.

After a pause— - -
Capt. PECIIELL rose and said, he wished to ask the
Speaker what business they had to proceed with, as it
was useless to appeal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The SPEAKER said the next order on the paper was
put down for one o'clock, and at one o'clock he pre-
sumed they would proceed with that order.
Capt. PECHELL said he would move, then, that the
House do now adjourn. He did this, in order again to
protest against the course which the Government had taken.
They had not discussed the Bill in a factious spirit,
nor attempted to delay the Bill, by dividing on many oc-
casions on which they might have done so. The Bill stood
on the paper for twelve o'clock, and now they were told
they could do no business till one ; and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, when called on, could say nothing
either by way of explanation or apology. He wished to
know if the Right lion. Baronet could explain why the
Bill had been delayed ; and having stated thus much, h•
would withdraw his motion.

Sir R. PEEL said that it was notified on Friday night
that the Joint-stock Companies Bill would be proceeded
with to-day, and he regretted if any inconvenience had
been occasioned to Hon. Gentlemen by any error in the
notice-paper.
Mr. HAWES said, the mode in which the public
business had recently been conducted was utterly incon-
sistent with the proper discussion of public measures.
They had but just received notice of amendments in the
Joint-stock Companies Bill ; he might be told they
were but verbal amendments, but these amendments were
often very material in their effect.
Sir R. PEEL said these amendments were introduced
for the purpose of giving effect to the view, and wishes
of parties affected by the measure.
The conversation then dropped.
MARINE EXPLOSION AT BRIGHTON.

Captain PECHELL said he had seen in the public
journals an account of proceedings that had taken
place in the Channel, opposite Brighton ; a gallant
officer (Captain Warner) had succeeded in totally destroy-
ing a merchant-vessel anchored off that port. Consi-
dering all the circumstances that had taken place on
a former occasion, when the Right Hon. Gentleman
gave some explanation of the correspondence between
the Government and the gallant officer, he wished to
know whether what had just taken place was done
with the knowledge or sanction of the Government, or
whether it had received any authentic information with
respect to it ?
Sir R. PEEL said he had not seen any other account
of the proceeding than that which appeared in the public
papers. The experiment had not been made at the ex-
pense of her Majesty's Government, or in consequence
of any communication with it. Her Majesty's Govern-
ment had had a former communication with Captain
Warner, and had proposed to allow the gallant officer a
certain sum for the purpose of making the experiment
under the superintendence of officers from the Board of
Ordnance, but Captain Warner declined the offer on ac-
count of the insufficiency of the sum proposed to be al-
lowed by the Treasury, and he understood that on this
occasion the vessel had been provided and the experi-
ment made at the expense of private individuals, and not
under the sanction or control of the Government._ _

Capt. PECHELL asked if the Government had re-
ceived any official re4port of the experiment ?