The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-08 00:00:00

LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE ISLAND

OF BERMUDA.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT
HOUSE OF LORDS, May 7.
Their Lordships met at Five o'Clock.
SAVINGS' BANKS.
Lord MONTEAGLE said he had to call the atten-
tion of the Government to a statement that had appeared
in one of the papers of that day, which it was necessary,
in justice to himself and the Government, and also, what
was more material than either, the public in-
terest, that he should notice. Their Lordships were
aware, from the Votes of the other House of Parliament,
that a Bill had been introduced by the Government for
the purpose of reducing the interest on savings' bank
stock. Of course it would be unbecoming to discuss a
question then pending in the other House of Parliament,
but he might say, in passing, that he approved of the ob-
jects of the Bill, and considered its principle to be per-
fectly right. It would be absurd on the part of
the public to pay a rate of interest on the de-
posits in savings' banks which had been fixed at a
greater amount than the rate of interest which now pre-
vailed in the market. But the interest of the depositors
was a critical matter to deal with. They were a nume-
rous class, and many of them were probably not very
well informed on the subject ; they were apt to take
alarm, above all, when suggestions were made to
them calculated to excite that feeling. The state-
ment he referred to, arising probably from misap-
prehension, was calculated greatly to impede
the object the Government had in view, as well as to
create alarm on the part of depositors in savings' banks,
and consequently to prejudice the public interest, and
much more to prejudice the interests of the depositors
themselves. It was mainly in consideration of the in-
terests of the depositors themselves that he took the
liberty of bringing this matter under the considera-
tion of their Lordships as soon as possible.
Their Lordships were aware that, during the
period he had the honour of being the Chancellor
of the ,Exchequer, a purchase of Exchequer bills was
made by the Trustees of Savings' Banks, which bills
were afterwards funded in the Three per Cent. stock. This
was not a time to defend that mode of procedure. The
Noble Duke opposite knew perfectly well that that pro-
ceeding was perfectly in accordance with
the existing law, under the Act of 1828,
which gave the Government the power of mak-
ing such investments. The statement he
referred to was this: "If it should be found that the
funds invested in savings' banks have been seriously in-
jured by the jobbing that prevailed during the time the
Whigs held office, the parties interested will be entitled
to compensation, and have all the circumstances
duly considered in any new arrangement it may
be necessary to make." It further appeared by
the statement, that interest amounting to 680,0001.,
representing a capital of 2,000,0001. or 3,000,0001. ster-
ling, had been lost by these proceedings. He need not
assure their Lordships that no such loss had been sus-
tained ; the statement was altogether fallacious. If any
loss were sustained it would not fall on the depositors.
To them the public faith was pledged, and every depo-
sitor was entitled to receive the full amount of his de-
posit, whatever might be the loss sustained by the sale of
stock. If this were not the case there wonld be no se-
curity for savings' banks. If an early opportunity were
not taken of contradicting such a statement an alarm
would have been raised which would have caused a run
on every savings' bank in London ; and, there-
fore, he had thought it right to bring the matter
under the consideration of their Lordships.—(Hear.)
DEBTOR AND CREDITORS' BILL.
Lord BROUGHAM, in proposing the second reading
of this Bill, said that its object was to remedy a great
defect in the law, which enabled a debtor, with his cre-
ditors' consent, to effect a composition as soon as he
found insolvency approaching. Under present circum-
stances, unless all the creditors agreed the composition
could not be effected, and in consequence there was a
great premium for a few of them to hold out against the
rest of the creditors, in order that they might ultimately
buy up the interest of the parties whom they opposed.
That defect would be remedied by the present Bill.
Lord COTTENHAM had no objection to the second
reading being now taken, provided that so doing would
not pledge their Lordships to the principle of the Bill.
The Bill was then read a second time.
Lord CAMPBELL, in the absence of his Noble Friend,
Earl Gosford, presented several petitions from different
parts of Ireland relative to the Presbyterian marriages.
BECAL OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF
INDIA.
Lord NORMANBY rose, pursuant to notice, to take
the first opportunity on which they had the pleasure of
seeing his Noble Friend the President of the Board of
Control in his place, to put a question on the subject of
the correspondence of the Board of Directors of the East
India Company with her Majesty's Government. Under
the peculiar circumstances in which he meant to put
this question to his Noble Friend, it was neces-
sary for him to make a few preliminary observa-
tions. He might be more strictly in order
hi moving for the production of those papers, but at the
same time, now, as hitherto, he had every reason to be-
lieve that those papers would be produced by her
Majesty's Government, and if not, the refusal to pro-
duce them could only be based upon one ground, which,
if stated cn the responsibility of his Noble Friend,
he (the Marquis of Normanby) should not be
prepared to resist. He thought, then, it would be more
convenient if he adopted the more informal but more usual
course of putting a question, making at the same time a
few observations on the subject-matter. When certain
opinions were pronounced in that House in answer to a
question from his Noble Friend on the subject, he (the
Marquis of Normanby) thought that the immediate
consequence would be the production of all the corres-
pondence so as to enable the House to form a judgment on
the matter. On that occasion he stated that he regretted that
they had not an immediate answer as to the production
of those papers. The Noble Duke stated, at the time,
that though they were not prepared to give an imme-
diate answer, yet that Parliament had an undoubted
right to the fullest information on the subject.—
(Expressions of dissent from the Duke of Wellington.)
He (the Marquis of Normanby) had certainly so under-
stood the Noble Duke. He might also allude to what
passed on another occasion, in another place, when two
of the Hon. Gentlemen connected with the administra-
tion of Indian affairs, stated that they hoped, in spite of
Pienrs answer, were
stated that he
what had passed in their Lordships' House, public opinion
would produced ; and
besuspended
till the
Minister,papers
was not prepared at once to produce the papers. He (the
her
Majesty's
Prime
Marquis of Normanby) might therefore infer that up to that
time no conclusive reason was entertained by the parties
interested against the production of those papers; at
the same time, if his Noble Friend opposite should state
that the production of those papers at the present
moment would be detrimental to the public service,
he should not press for their production. He regretted
that such decided censure had been pronounced on the
conduct of certain parties in the affair, though he must
state that his regret was by no means inconsistent with
the high respect which he as well as the rest of their
Lordships all bore to the Noble Duke who pronounced
that censure. However, as a deliberative assembly
their Lordships should protest against any
weight being attached to that censure. He
thought that they were bound, not only as members
of a deliberative assembly, but as the highest court of
judicature in this cc.enitry, to hear before they con-
demned.—(Hear.) If there were any strong objection
to the production of those papers, he should feel his re-
gret at the premature expression of opinion on the part
of the Noble Duke very much increased.—(Hear.) The
power of the Court of Directors to recal the Governor-
General had existed more than half a century, and the
present was the first time that any collision between
the Board and the Government had taken place.
Now, he would ask, was there anything in the
constitution of the Court of Directors which might
incline them to take. views adverse to the present Go-
vernment ? Certainly not. It was well-lnown that the
majority of the Court of Directors were of the same
political opinions with her Majesty's present Government;
and it was natural to inquire what could be the cause
of their disagreement with the Government in this mat-
ter ?—(Hear.) He by no means thought that a ma-
jority of his fellow-countrymen were now in favour of
her Majesty's Ministers, but still it could not be denied
that they were backed by a majority of ninety in
the other House of Parliament which had not
yet run through half the term of its existence. It could
not be through hostility to the Government the Directors
had acted ; but it was said that it was through igno-
rance of the facts. That was not the fact—(Hear, hear)
—for the Secret Committee were not bound to conceal
such matters from the general body of the Board.
He had read over the statutes and the Charter,
and he found that it was only on questions of we'.
the Committee was sworn to secresy. All questions of
internal policy, and the appointments and dismissals of
servants, civil and military, were entirely unconnected
with the oath of secresy. Was it possible that Parliament
should have given that power, and not retained to itself
the means of knowing how the power was exercised 7
Suppose it were the case of Sinde, on account of which
the Directors thoulit it necessary to recal
Lord Ellenborough. hy should not Parliament be
informed what the instructions of the Government at
home had been ? He perfectly agreed with the propriety
of deferring any opinion upon the conduct of the Go-
vernor-General until he was there to defend him-
self.—(Hear, hoar.) He (Lord Normanby) had felt
in a smaller sphere the inconvenience of exercising
important functions in a distant part of the empire, and
he should be the last person in the world to say that the
acts of a man placed in such circumstances should
not be viewed with consideration and candour.
His Noble Friend need not be afraid that,
in calling for these papers, he had any in-
tention of urging on the diseussion which
ought, in fairness, to be postponed until Lord Ellen-
borough had returned to this country. Butit had
been said that there was an intention on the part of the
Government to take steps for depriving the Court of
Directors of the power which they on this occasion exer-
cised. If there was any such intention entertained in any
quarter, there was one Noble Lord that ought first of all
others to be heard—that Noble Lord having made the
must decided objections to any reduction of the power
of the Court of Directors.—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") No one had taken a more active
or useful part in that House in the administration of
Indian affairs, no one was more conversant with them,
either when he was at the head of the Board of Control
or unconnected with the Government, and he had on
more occasions than one warned Noble Lords not
to interfere with the hitherto successful balance
of power. Those were the opinions of the Noble Lord—
[Lord Ellenborough was understood to be the Noble-
man referred to]—and he (Lord Normanby) had no
doubt his opinions so sound then had been confirmed by
the practical experience he bad since acquired.—
(Hear, hear.) Though he had been ready, on the
request of the Noble Duke, to postpone his ques-
tion till the better health of his Noble Friend
(Lord Ripon) permitted his attendance in his place, yet
he must say he regretted the mail had( eft for India
before he had an opporturnhy s it. 4t

The cast-iron lighthouse for the Jamaica Lighthouse
Commissioners, which was constructed at Messrs.
Bramah and Robinson's manufactory three years ago,
and erected on the east end of Jamaica a few months
afterwards, on the specification and under the imme-
diate superintendence of Alexander Gordon, C.E., has
given so much satisfaction, that the Lords of her Ma-
jesty's Treasury were induced to contract with Mr.
Gordon for the construction of a similar lighthouse, but
on a still larger scale, for the top of Gibbs Hill, on the
main island of Bermuda, where numerous engineering
difficulties have hitherto prevented the erection of a
lighthouse in masonry. The work has been several
weeks in progress, and may now be seen rising above the
houses near the Waterloo-bridge-road. The construc-
tors of the iron work are Messrs. Cottam for the tower,
and of the lantern, Messrs. Wilkins and Son, of Long
Acre.

The tower is conical, and the diameter at the base
24 feet, tapering to 15 feet at the narrowest part, near
the top, when it is sponsoned out for the gallery, on
which the lantern is to be placed. The total height,
from the base to the top of the lightning rod, will be
138 feet, and when erected on Gibb's Hill, Bermuda, will
be 368 feet above the level of the sea. The lantern is
to be fitted with a lenticulated apparatus of the first
order, on Fresnel's plan, and the light (a fixed one,
with bright flashes) will be visible all around the dan-
gerous reef of rocks to the northward and westward of
this valuable military and naval station in the Atlantic
Ocean.

The outside carcase of the tower is composed of 139
cast-iron plates. There are seven rooms, lighted by
port-holes and ports, fitted with plate glass. The rooms
are lined with wrought iron, panelled in oak frames, and
the ascent from the bottom to the top is by means of a
spiral staircase of iron with oak treads. The floors are
all of cast-iron, and there is in the centre a hollow
column, sixteen inches in diameter, for waste water-
pipes, and for the ascent and descent of whatever may
be required in the light-room and lantern, or for any of
the seven rooms, thus obviating the necessity of carrying
anything up or down the staircase.
The whole is constructed with a special view to the
resistance of those terrific hurricanes and thunder
storms so common in Bermuda, and some of the West
India islands. Being a perfect conductor of electricity,
no lightning can affect it; being also incombustible, it
cannot be destroyed by fire. Altogether, in short, it
gives the fairest promise of being another lasting monu-
ment of the engineering talent of the mother country.
Mr. Gordon's lighthouse at Jamaica we described at
the time of its temporary erection in this country, three
years ago. It has several times been struck by lightning,
but without sustaining the least injury.—Mechanics'
Magazine.

SAVINGS' BANKS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes not to
alter the gross amount standing in the name of any indi-
vidual depositor, when the new law which is intended to be
passed, comes into operation. Here he is at fault. The 9th
George IV., c. 92, (passed 28th July, 1828), did not (though
it ought to have done) disturb the then existing amount
invested. Now, some of those amounts are great, and, if
interest is still to be paid upon them to their full amount, it
will be a continuance of serious loss to the country ; and,
that the public generally should suffer for private gain, is the
very reverse of what it ought to be. No depositor ought to
have more invested than 1001., and interest allowed up to
that amount. Persons who are enabled to invest more, are
not those for whom banks for savings were established.
There is another circumstance requiring rectification, i. e.,
the salaries of paid officers, which ought to be settled by a
definite rule. I know banks in the country where the salaries
are widely different in proportion to the quantum of labour
performed (and have no doubt it is the case generally), some
being over-paid, and others otherwise. It is most desirable
to have competent individuals as paid officers, and their being
adequately compensated for the duties (which require uni-
form attention and care) they perform. For this purpose I
think a fair table might be settled applicable to every bank.
May 8, 1844. A TRUSTEE.

HUNGERFORD AND LAMBETH SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
—The piers and buttresses and other necessary worics
for the erection of this bridge, under the superintendence
of Mr. R. Brunel, engineer of the Great Western Rail-
way, are just completed, and this important junction of
Lambeth with the west end of the metropolis will soon
be carried into effect, as the placing of the chains and
the bridge itself will be commenced in the early part
of next week, and it is confidently expected that the
bridge will be opened to the public in less than
three months from that time. The iron work and sus-
pending chains, weighing upwards of 800 tons, and
cast by Messrs. Sandys, Came, and Vivian, at the Cop-
perhouse Foundry, Hale, Cornwall, are now in a state
of forwardness at Messrs. Smiths' wharf, Belvidere-
road, Lambeth, where, in consequence of their peculiar
construction, it has been found necessary to join the
suspending chains before placing them in their proper
position. The centre span of the bridge will be 678
feet, with secondary ones of 331 feet on each side, mak-
ing a total of 1,340 feet from shore to shore. The footway
will be 14 feet wide, the lower part of the centre being
35 feet above the level of high water. The supporting
piers, which are 60 feet above the level of the roadway,
and 80 feet above the level of high water, will be en-
riched with castings in iron of a very massive descrip-
)n, besides the ornamental additions. The approaches
from the Middlesex side will be from Hungerford market,
and those on the Surrey side near to Messrs. Godings,
the Lion Brewery. It is calculated that to persons re-
siding in various parts of Lambeth, by using this bridge,
lclutance of nearly half a Wila will be wed.

might be that the Directors had judged improperly of the '
conduct of the Noble Lord (Ellenborough)—it might
be that they did not give the Government a sufficient
notice. On the last point, however, they had been given
to understand, that the Government had had full
seven or eight months' notice. Therefore the indiscretion
of the Directors (for so it had been called) wanted one
quality which usually attended indiscretion—rashness.
He repeated, in conclusion, what he had before said,
that if, in the opinion of the Government, it would be
inexpedient to furnish the papers, he would not press for
them. In that case, however, he must be permitted, as
a matter of justice, to say that that House could not
entertain a shadow of suspicion of the propriety of the
conduct of the Directors, till an opportunity was afforded
of placing the whole case before that Douse and the
country.
The Earl of RIPON said he deeply regretted that he
had been hindered by illness from attending to his duties
when the Noble Marquis was first desirous of putting
his question to him. However, he was then ready to
state his views as to the production of the papers asked
for, though before doing so he must say that the Noble
Marquis had introduced the matter in a most fair,
candid, and reasonable spirit. And he thought he
had acted much more conveniently by bringing
it forward as he had done, than by submitting a more
formal motion on the subject. He must say, however,
that feeling a deep sense of the duty and responsibility
which attached to him and the Government, Ministers
were unable to consent to the production of the papers.
He believed their production would be the cause of
great injustice to the Noble Lord who had been recalled
—of great embarrassment to the Right Hon. Gentle-
man who was about to proceed there—and would be
most injurious to the best interests of the ser-
vice. Therefore he must, though reluctantly,
decline ; for all the papers ought to be fur-
nished, or none of them ; and to do this at present
would be alike unfair to individuals and injurious to the
service. To produce part of the papers would be ob-
viously unsatisfactory, though it would not be possible
for him to say why, because he should then be
doing incidentally that which he felt it his
duty to decline to do directly. He therefore
declined to produce these papers, and the same
consideration led him to decline entering on the
matters alluded to by his Noble Friend. But he would
take the liberty of saying this, that however he might
regret the step taken by the Board of Directors—or, how-
ever inconsistent he might have thought it with the course
which he considered advisable to take, he was nevertheless
bound to say, and he did say, that he was entirely con-
vinced that the Court of Directors, in taking the course
they did, were influenced by no other motive than an
honest and sincere conviction on their part that they
were doing what their duty called them to do. In saying
that he did justice to their motives, but expressed no
opinion on their policy, If he was ready to do justice to
them for the motives which had influenced their
course, he hoped he might ask their Lordships
to do justice to him and her Majesty's Government, by
believing that they had been influenced by no other
considerations than these in the course which they had
taken, and which obliged them to refuse their concur-
rence to the step of the Board of Directors. As he could
not consent to the production of the papers he thought it
better not to risk any discussion on the subject by enter-
ing into any of the other topics which had been alluded to
by the Noble Marquis. With respect to the production of
the papers at another time, he thought nothing was more
unwise than to pledge oneself on a subject of that kind,
and he must decline doing so.
Lord BROUGHAM entirely concurred with what
had fallen from the Noble Lord, but he felt bound to
state succinctly his opinion on the course the Govern-
ment had pursued. The Government was charged with
indiscretion. The Noble Duke opposite, the least indis-
creet of human beings, was charged for the first time, he
would venture to say, in the course of his long and illus-
trious life, with indiscretion for having pronounced an
opinion on a question, the materials for forming an
opinion on which were not before the House or the
public. In justice to the Noble Duke and the Governor-
General, they should recollect the position in which the
Government was placed. They were called on by the
acts of the Directors to pronounce an opinion, because if
they did not they would have adopted that act as their
own. It was easy for the Board of Directors to say, as he
heard they did say, that they were responsible for the
peace of India, but somebody else would have been re-
sponsible besides the Directors, if the Government had
adopted their policy. Before sitting down, he must re-
mark on the highly satisfactory appointment of the
Gallant Officer who was about to proceed to the govern-
ment of India—an observation most favourable to Lord
Ellenborough arouse out of this appointment, as the
Board of Directors had unanimously concurred in the
appointment of Sir Henry Hardinge. They had se-
lected Sir 11. Hardinge for the purpose of censuring the
conduct of his predecessor—of rescinding all lie had
done so gloriously—the Court of Directors must say
that they chose Sir H. Hardinge for the purpose of act-
ing diametrically opposite to the purpose, of acting dia-
metrically opposite to the policy of Lord Ellenborough,
or they had chosen the very man who was most certain
to pursue the very same course. Why did he say so ?
Because Sir H. Hardinge was a near connexion of the
Noble Lord—in fact, his brother-in-law—because he
was the bosom friend of that Noble Lord, and because
he was a member of the present Government, which had
disapproved of the recal of Lord Ellenborough.—(Hear,
hear.) It was then clear that it was not from any dis-
approval of the policy of Lord Ellenborough that that
Noble Lord was recalled, but from a more insignificant
and merely personal motive. He was glad, then, that it
had appeared that no condemnation of Lord Ellenbo-
Irvoouugl hd ' s policy
be
he wasmostthe cause of his removal,
complete
preventiveof as that
a ny
mis-
chievous consequences resulting to Indian affairs from
that measure.

and Gwalior had been communicated to the Court of
Directors ?
Earl RIPON was not sure that he could exactly
answer the question. He thought. with regard to Sinde,
that no papers had been communicated to the Court,
except those which had been laid before the two Houses
of Parliament. With respect to Gwalior, all the papers,
whether of importance or not, which had been received
in the course of last summer, and up to autumn, were,
at the request of the Secret Committee, laid before the
Court.

CHARITABLE BEQUESTS (IRELAND).
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he had a motion
fixed for Thursday next, for a Commission to inquire into
the Board of Charitable Bequests and Donations in
Ireland, and he was happy to learn that a Bill, regarding
the constitution of that Board, was under the considera-
tion of her Majesty's Attorney-General. He would,
therefore, beg to withdraw his notice of motion, as that
Bill would answer all the ends he had iu view.

RAILWAYS.
Earl FITZWILLIAM said that, previous to his
proceeding with the motion which he had on the paper,
for an address to her Majesty, for the appointment of a
Commission on the subject of railways, he wished to
inquire of the Noble Earl whether it was the intention
of the Government to assent to or negative his proposi-
tion. Until he had received an answer on that matter,
he would not trouble their Lordships further.
Earl DALHOUSIE would state in a few words the
reasons why Government did not think it right to accede
at the present moment to the motion of the Noble Earl.
The ground of their so doing was that the whole of this
question had now for some time past been under the
consideration of a Committee of the House of Commons.

At a very early period of the session his Right Hon.
Friend the President of the Board of Trade had brought
the question under the consideration of the House, when
an instruction was moved to the Committee to consider
all modes of providing for the public good with respect
to railways. Three reports had already appeared from
that Committee, and had been laid before Parliament.
Two of those referred to the railways that came before
Parliament this session, and the third took a wider
range, and suggested very important alterations in the
railway system. One of those related to providing car-
riages of a more commodious kind, and having seats in
in them, for third class passengers. The present mode
of keeping those passengers standing for twelve or six-
teen hours in a carriage, while making a journey that
could have been made in seven or eight hours, was very
discreditable to the companies that adopted such a
course, and would be equally discreditable to the Legis-
lature if it permitted the continuance of that abuse.
Care should be taken that there should be no evasion by
the companies of the regulations on this score. Another
recommendation of the Committee was, that it should be
an indispensable condition of railway Bills in future,
that the proprietors should consent, at the end of fifteen
years from the time when the original Bill was passed—
they should submit to the alternative, in case their pro-
fits were above ten per cent , to permit those profits to
be reduced to that amount, but not below it, or allow the
Government the option of purchasing the line for twenty-
five years' visible profits. He mentioned those things
to show that the Committee of the House of Commons
had entered in earnest into the consideration of the
subject.
Earl FITZWILLIAM was glad he had taken the
course he had, but still he thought it doubtful whether,
even after the labours of the Committee had been
brought to a close, such a motion as that which he had
on the paper would not be necessary. He would, how-
ever, withdraw his motion.
The motion was then withdrawn, and some private
Bills having been forwarded a stage, the House ad-
journed at Half-past Seven o'clock.

The Duke of WELLINGTON hoped, as the Noble
Marquis had adverted to what occurred there on a
former evening, that he might be allowed to say a few
words. In the first place, he begged to observe that,
when he spoke on that occasion, he did not entertain any
intention of interfering with the privileges of the Court
of Directors of the East India Company. If the Noble
Marquis remembered anything of his (the Duk© of Wel-
lington's) course in their Lordships' House, and the
other House of Parliament, whenever any question re-
specting Indian affairs was brought forward, he would
acquit him of originating any measure which would be
detrimental to the interests of the East India Company.
When the subject now before the House had been brought
before their Lordships on a former occasion, he (the
Duke of Wellington) thought it his duty to ex-
press his opinions on the subject, and he thought
he had expressed them as moderately as possible.
There could be no doubt respecting the power of the
Directors. He had shown when the power was given—
he had quoted the Act of Parliament. But he stated at
the same time that it was a power which ought to be
exercised with discretion; and he did give his reason for
thinking that the power had not been exercised with
discretion in this case.—(Hear, hear.) He did not think
there was anything offensive in that expression, and
nothing could be further from his thoughts than to say
anything offensive to the Board of Directors. Still he
thought that when any doubt was thrown upon the con-
duct of an officer holding one of the highest and most
responsible situations under the Crown—and discharging
his duties most meritoriously—(Cheers)----it was the
duty of a person representing her Majesty's Government
in that House to protect the officer at a distance. He
had already stated his opinion, that if Parliament had
thought proper to demand the reasons why the Court of
Directors had adopted that measure, the papers should
be produced, unless there were reasons, as his Noble
Friend stated, for considering that the production of
them would be inconsistent with the public interest.
The Marquis of NORMANBY, in explanation, said
that he had not called for the papers on the very grounds
that he thought that it might be considered inconvenient
to the public service to produce them.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the
Noble Duke and the late Governor-General of India
had always been great advocates of the authority of the
Court of Directors—(Hear, hear)—and when the mea-
sure for limiting the powers of that body was proposed
by Lord Grey's Government in 1833, the Noble Duke.
supported by Lord Ellenborough, emphatically resisted
the measure, on the ground that it would give too much
power to fhe Governor-General, and interfere too much
with the authority of the East India Company.—(Hear,
hear.) He would not attempt to-night to discuss the
conduct of Lord Ellenborough in India, but he must
say that a better, or more judicious selection, could not
be made than the appointment of the Gallant Officer
who was to succeed him. But reverting to the subject
of Lord Ellenborough, he begged leave to say that they
were not called upon, on that occasion, to judge the
conduct of that Noble Lord. That was not under their
Lordships' consideration. A high functionary had been
recalled, and a censure had been pronounced by the
organ of the Government on the body which had taken
on itself to make that recal. What Parliament just
now had to do, was, not to judge Lord Ellenborough,
but to consider the conduct of the Government, and
of the Board of Directors of the East India Company.
That the conduct of those Directors had been so indis-
creet he (the Marquis -of Clanricarde) very much
doubted. The indiscretion, more probably, attached
elsewhere ; for it was admitted that six or seven months
ago the Directors bad expressed to the Government the
dissatisfaction which they felt. It appeared there was
no hope of the production of the papers during the ses-
sion. Government charged the East India Directors
with having been guilty of great indiscretion, and Par-
liament was bound to know, as speedily as possible, the
proofs which the Government had to bring of this indis-
cretion. These were the only things that Parliament
could judge of until the return of Lord Ellenborough,
for most unjust would it be at present to judge of the
conduct of that Nobleman, who might have been a wise
man as well as a faithful servant (and he was sure ho
had been the latter) of that great Company.
The Marquis of NORMANBY, in consequence of
what had fallen from the Noble and Learned Lord
(Brougham), wished to ask the Noble Lord opposite
(Earl Rofiptobne)Bwoharedthoefr
Caopootrwortowra release vested inm Pre-
sidentemerthbesof
the Secret Committee from their oath, and to allow them
to communicate papers—whether in point of fact that
had not been done, and whether in consequence nu-
eet the e
nu-
merous papers relating to Gwalior and Sinde had not '
been communicated to the Court of Directors ?
The Earl of RIPON said that none of the instructions
which went through the Secret Committee were sub.
mitted to the Directors. With respect to Gwalior all
the early papers were laid before the Court and were
afterwards sent to India. Other documents which pro-
ceeded from the Board of Control were not produced
to, the Board of Directors. _ . _

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 7.
The SPEAKEi took the Chair at the usual hour.
LEEDS AND BRADFORD RAILWAY.

On the motion for the further consideration of the
report on the Bill.
Mr. MACKINNON moved that the report be consi-
dered that day six months.
Mr. LASCELLES seconded the motion.

Mr. YORKE supported the Bill. He thought im-
proper methods of influencing the Hon. Members on the
question had been resorted to.
Sir E. COLEBROOKE thought the opposition to the
Bill came at a rather late stage, and that the House was
called upon, under the circumstances, to confirm the de-
cision of the Committee.

Mr. STUART supported the motion.
After a short conversation the House divided, when
there appeared— -
For the amendment
Against it, '
__ 124
_ . ___

Majority for the Bill, _66
The report was then ordered to be taken into further
consideration.

After a few observations from Mr. M. Philips, Mr.
S. Wortley, Mr. C. Wood, Lord Howick, and Mr. Greene,
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE wished to know how the House
could do these parties justice by binding them to the
absurd regulations of the Standing Orders. He thought
the public interest ought to guide these proceedings, and
he would propose, therefore, that the debate be adjourned,
in order to see if the parties could not make out a case
that would induce the House to re-commit the Bill, in
order that the public should have the best line. The
Hon. Member concluded by moving that the debate
should be adjourned.
The SPEAKER then put thee question, that the
amendments should be read a second time; and also the
amendment of the Hon. Member for Finsbury, that the
debate be adjourned.
Mr. LAWSON opposed the amendment. He thought
it was their duty to support the Standing Orders of the
House.

Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND thought there was no
practice so bad as that of excluding evidence. The
law now, in accordance with the increased intelligence
of the age, admitted evidence more freely than it
had heretofore been accustomed to do. They were now
arguing a case of the exclusion of evidence before a
Railroad Committee. Were they not, by giving such an
interpretation to their Standing Orders, committing
a great national injustice'? They had the high authority
of their Chairman fur saying that the House was in
error in putting such an interpretation upon their Stand-
ing Orders. If this interpretation were the true one,
whenever a railroad was projected, whatever injury
it might inflict on the proprietors, through whose
property it might run, there would be the greatest diffi-
culty in proving that injury. He should support the
amendment.

Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the
House divided, when there appeared—

For Mr. Duncombe's amendment
Against it
Majority against the amendment -38
The amendments were then read a second time.

Lord ELIOT gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he
would move for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate turn-
pike trusts in Ireland.
Dr. BOWRING gave notice that he would bring on
his motion on quarantine on that day fortnight. The
Hon. Member also moved for a " Tabular return of the
quantities of wheat, flour, meal, barley, oats, potatoes,
cattle, sheep, and pigs, imported in each year, ending
the sth day of January, from 1835 to 1844, into the
Isle of Man ; exhibiting also the average price of the
several species of corn by the Lotufan Gazette, and the
average duties payable thereon, Tabular return, for the
same years, of the same articles exported from the Isle
of Man."—Agreed to.

Lord COLCHESTER thought that the friends of the
Governor-General ought in justice to him to have pro-
dueed to them the reasons why he had been deprived of
his office. It was very well to ask of their Lordships
to suspend their opinion, but was opinion suspended out
of doors ? The organs of public opinion had already
pronounced their judgment, some one way, and some
another i and he regretted that the Noble Lord the

Sir R. PEEL brought up copies of the correspondence
which had taken place between the Government and the
Bank of England, which were laid on the table,
The Exchequer Bills (18,407,0001) Bill was read It
third time and passed.

coLont. BONET.
Sir R. PEEL said he would take that opportunity of
alluding to a statement which had been made in that
House (upon which certain questions were put to the
Government) to the effect that a British officer,
commanding a ship off Alicante, had been ap-
plied to by a Spanish officer, Colonel Bonet,
who was under great apprehension with re-
gard to the probability of his immediate execution,
to be taken on board that ship, and that the officer com-
manding the ship, which was called the Scout, had re-
fused admission to the vessel to Colonel Bonet. The
question which was put to her Majesty's Government
upon this subject was, whether they had given instruc-
tions to the officer commanding the Scout, to refuse
admission, under the circumstances, to Colonel
Bonet, and whether any account had been
received by the Admiralty from that officer respecting
the transaction. He (Sir R. Peel) stated at the time
that no such instructions had been given, Since the
statement to which he had referred, however, had ap-
peared, Captain Drummond, the officer in question,
had forwarded a statement of the whole transaction,
which he (Sir R. Peel) would read to the House.
and he thought it would be a decisive proof as to the po-
licy of their suspending their judgments upon reports
until they became acqu_ainted with the subject. The
letter was dated her Majesty's ship Scout, Gribraltar,

President of the Board of Control, had not felt it con- r April 20th, 1844, and was addressed to th 9
sistent with his duty to produce those papers. Secretary of the Admiralty. Captain Drummond said,
The Earl of WINCHILSEA concurred in the regret " Sir, I have just read in Galignani's Messenger an article
expressed by the Noble Lord who spoke last. He which was taken from the Chronicle, containing a most
thought the Board of Directors would, on consideration, libellous statement against a British vessel of war lying
repent the step they had taken. If the policy pursued at Alicante, during the late disturbances ; and as it con-
by Lord Ellenborough was condemned by the Board of eludes by hoping that the question would be mentioned
Directors, would they have concurred in the appoint- ' in the House, I think it right to inform you of the tran-
ment of a member of the same party, and of the same section that occurred, I being the officer in command of
Cabinet, to succeed him ? that station at the time. On the 13th of February
Lord CAMPBELL said that nothing could be I arrived at Alicante, :and Mr. Wearing, the
more unfortunate than the course pursued by Consul, immediately came on board, and he stated that
the Government on this occasion. It was Colonel Bonet, the Governor, wished to come to see me.
condemned by all parties. It was condemned by I replied that I could not receive any such person, he
the supporters of the Government, the personal being in arms. Mr. Waring replied that my refusal to
friends of the Noble Lord (Lord Ellenborough), and it receive Colonet Bonet would greatly exasperate
was condemned by those who disapproved of their po- him, and might endanger, the British and British
hey. He regretted that the Government had not thought property in Alicante ; upon which I consented
fit to produce those papers, because the Government al- to see Colonel Bonet on deck in the presence of the
ready, in the person of the Noble Duke, had pro- officers of the ship. Colonel Benetthen stated that he
nounced a heavy censure on the Court of Directors. came to offer me any assistance I might require during
As to the appointment of Sir H. Hardinge be could my stay at Alicante ; and I replied that my sole
not concur with the Noble Earl who spoke last, that it object in visiting Alicante was to protect British
showed the contrition of the Court of Directors. He subjects, and British property, and he then
thought the Court of Directors were treated very hardly quitted the ship and he never came along
by the Noble Earl and his Noble and Learned Friend side of the ship again during my stay at Alicante, and
on the Woolsack, when they spoke of the Court of Di- I left on the 6th of March." This was the whole of the
rectors as if they were now doing penance in sackcloth transaction, and it now appeared that instead of Colonel
and ashes, and making amends by the appointment of Bonet asking assistance, he came to offer it.—(Hear.)
Sir H. Hardinge. He approved of the appointment of Captain Drummond went on to say that he would have
Sir H. Hardinge, because he did not think he would had a most unpleasant duty to perform, but that be
follow in the footsteps of Lord Ellenborough—that they would have been quite prepared to act on his own re-
would have no such proclamations from him as they sponsibility, had Colonel Bonet applied to him under the
had had: about the gates of Somnauth. With respect circumstances which had been stated.
to the act of indiscretion, as it was called, which the Lord JOHN RUSSELL was understood to express
Court of Directors had committed, he (Lord Campbell) his satisfaction at the statement which the Right Hon.
thought it a most felicitous act of indiscretion. He Gentleman had just read to the House.
would say, with Hamlet— Mr. P. BORTH WICK said, that his object in putting
" Our indiscretions oft-time serve us well the question to which the Right Hon. Gentleman had
When our deep plots do fail." referred was only to elicit information on the subject.
Lord NORMANBY inquired if all the dispatches COALS.
which had been received relative to the affairs of Sinde In answer to a question from Mr. HUTT, respecting

a return of the amount of coals exported,
Sir G. CLERK said there was considerable difficult)!
in making out the return wished for. Some time must
elapse before it could be presented in a satisfactory state.
Lord HOWICK thought the return might be made
out in a short time, and if there was any inconvenience
in making out the return, he thought the Right Hon.
Gentleman himself was to blame. He hoped the return
would be furnished before the discussion on the Bill,
which the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the
Exchequer proposed to introduce, took place.

INDIA.
Mr. HUME said that, agreeably to the notice which
he had given, he rose to bring forward his motion re-
specting what had recently taken place relative to
India. Believing, as he did, that the subject We
an important one, he claimed the indulgence of
the House whilst he stated what were his views of the
situation in which they were placed by what had latelr
occurred relative to that portion of her Majesty §

dominions. The Government of India was placed in a
very anomalous position. They saw an immense empire
containing about 100,000,000 of inhabitants, subjected to
the Government of Britain by means chiefly of the
India Company ; and they saw various large and
important portions of the government of that countri
conducted by the Court of Directors—a body appointed
by the proprietors of East India stock, who, he might
say, first created that immense empire. Few were aware
what had been done of late by the Legislature in reference
to that Company, and what little power had been loft to
them. There were two authorities governing India with
paramount power. There was the Board of Commis'
sioners for managing the affairs of India, who con'
trolled the power of the Directors connected with Indio.

One of the most important duties which devolved on
them was the appointment of the Governor-General 7r
India. They appointed whomsoever they approved o£
A question had lately been raised how far they had the
power of retaining that officer. It was said that they WI.
the power of retaining him in his office, but he belir:Yed
no individual connected with India doubted ttat the,
power of recalling that officer rested with the Coin'
of Directors. This very power was retained to them
in the last charter, as if they had foreseen
and resolved to provide for the circumstance`
which had just taken place. The Reuse
might not bo aware that a hint had been thrown out ti?.
the Court of Directors in 1833 by Sir Cherie'
Grant, then President of the Board of Con,Tel►.
of taking this power from the Court of Directors.. That
was immediately opposed, and the reasons given for tb„
assumption of the power of recal appeared t'o him to
perfectly satisfactory. The Chairman and Deputy-Ch"
man, Mr. Banks and Mr. Wigram, stated, in June, 183
why the power which they had should be continued to theta'
There was another communication of the same date, by
Mr. Tucker, who observed that he was willing to her
that Ministers would render the Court useful ; but 11°.
could not say how that was to be done, when the whole
responsibility rested with the Court of Directors, andhad been taken away from the Government Tbati
authority had been continued to the Directors, and the.. .
had now exercised it, and he felt no doubt that it had
been exercised wisely ; although he had not the papers
_
before him.—(Hear, and laughter.) He might be wro%
but still he thought, from all he had heard, that 'die
Directors had acted rightly. It was important that the
Court of Directors should stand well is the public opinion:
and the Government of India, and it was on that ow):
that he asked for the papers with respect to the &split°
that had taken place between the Government and O.
f
East India Company. It could not be a question of
ordinary occurrence that induced twenty-three men tg
recal Lord Ellenborough. This could not be construe',
into a political question; the large majority of the Dd
rectors were in favour of the present Government, eat
there must, therefore, have been reasons of the utra°l
importance to warrant the Directors in the course that
had adopted ; it, therefore, behoved all parties that f
information should be given on the subject. Judging
from what fell from two Directors on a former occasit
that it was their wish that full information should 7,
given on the subject, he had come forward to elicit thf
information he was now asking for ? Why did he clOBO3
Because a most important Minister of the CroWP is
another place censured the Court of Dime;-tors. tifile!A
passed upon them a censure so severe that he believed
no parallel could be found f;,;. it. It was, therefore,4
importance to know whether the Government -were right
in the censure they had passed, or the Directors were
correct in the course they had pursued, and nothing
better calculated to solve that question than moviligLD
the correspondence.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he wanted
-
know what the resolutions were that had been passed
so
the Court of Directors, in order to judge, after
a.
many months' consideration, why they had hoe
induced to remove the Noble Lord. In the speech
,0
of the Noble Duke in another place, he charged
Court of Directors no less that six times with indiscretir,„J`"
Was it possible to suppose that the Duke would be if;
discreet enough to make such a statement without go 7.
grounds? He must have had the documents bef°'"
him, and yet he six times charged the Court of Dirf;
tors with gross indiscretion. After a Minister of 3
Crown had made these charges against the Directors,
was absolutely neeessary that the papers should belt.
before the House, in order that the matter might AB
cleared up. He would not allude to any portion of wo
conduct of Lord Ellenborough, except to what had belle
alluded to by the Noble Duke on that occasion.
had stated it was indiscreet to remove the Gover°_„°,V
General while Sinde was disturbed and unsettled,
immediately after his recent successes in Gwalior. Fr
the documents he had seen on those subjects be : of
come to a conclusion diametrically opposed to tha",9
the Noble Duke.—(A laugh, and cries of " Hear, he'ar;ol
No doubt the Right Hon. Baronet opposite had his °,ll
opinions upon the subject ; he was acquainted with it
the documents ; but he trusted that he would Perfo
him (Mr. Hume) not only to entertain but to exP'"
his opinions also.—(Hear, hear.) Believing that if,
o ,e.
f
explanation were not gi';en, the character, not Gull
, of
the Board of Directors, but of the Government ;tie
would suffer, and that serious consequences would eno.
in India, he appealed to the House to support the ;.01
tion. All important orders sent to India are lobo:I:eta,
to the Board of Control, and to the Secret Commit
of the Court of Directors. He did not ask for the c-A
respondence between the Government and the See;
Committee, but he did ask for the corresponaCalce„ebr
tween the Government and Court of Director generally
and the production of that correspondence was necesn
to free the Court of Directors from the aspersions a'ot
had been cast upon them, and to free the Governor
eurt
from the charge of having acted unjustly to the C°naal
of Directors. In support of his motion he would elkie.•
to the Noble Duke himself when asked if he was Pas
pared to bring such information before the Hea'sthe
would enable them to judge of the indiscretion of of
Court of Directors; the Duke had said that he was bet,
prepared to say what papers would be producedrop
that Parliament was entitled to all the information nal
could be afforded, All he asked for was justice, ,°
the British and the Indian public were alike entitle: to
the production of those papers which were necesenr/tk.e
bring the conduct of the Board of Control and 0,4„
Board of Directors before Parliament. The Hon. 1.
ber concluded by moving for copies-eft-all corresloonve-te'
between the Court of Directors of the East Indio Cob
pony and her Majesty's Government, respectilig„o
recal of Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-Gonelndia.
Sir R. PEEL—Sir, I rise to offer my most decTiabetie
opposition to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman. oritt
Hon. Gentleman states that this House is the alliffer
to which an appeal should be made in case of - this
once of opinion between the two chief authorities intf it
country invested with the Government of India• a`that
be true that this House is the court of appeal, an oases,
we are called on to exercise our judgment in such er-
I am confident that the House will not proceed to()o the;
form those duties and to pronounce an opinion
_rtijof
conduct of my Noble Friend the Governor-G0.% od/
India in his absence. Those considerations dst
in 1'
equity which induced the Right Hon. Gentleman opIn„
who had given notice of a motion on a matter which Die__Zist
sidered of the utmost importance—l mean on the" `
of the recent transactions in Gwalior—thew Sttele.;dgbt
siderations of equity and justice which induee_d the I xxcl
Hon. Gentleman to postpone his motion, because-d ere'
Ellenborough had been recalled ; these same consl_ tog
Lions, I say, must prevent the Urtua:e from Ero 0:w-
-ally judgment in the abseue of my Noble FriendsJuan°
sequently I doubt whether, the Hon. Gentleman., sir,
obtain the papers, b:.s ob;ect would be gained.
that is not the '...ourtti upon which I offer my. 0P1:851...,,i0°
to the motion of my Hon. Friend. The sing
40; i
which I Chink ought to be considered in this the
what Is most conducive to the interests of Ine.,
Barctbeast
maintenance of British power in that country. _ „ono
consideration, and upon that alone, was I -113 nerse-
when we came to our decision.—(Hear,hear.)do r
not dell
nalconsiderations were entirely suspended. .._,d,,aent
the right of the Hon. Gentleman to exercise nisi."
with respect to the affairs of Gwalior. When I in
mated a doubt as to the position which he asfsru; thi°
the course of his observations, my doubt arose the
e ke
circumstance, that the Hon. Gentleman said, th
of Welliniton entertains opinions favourable t°