The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-08 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(LAST r•aCHT.)

31r. Alderman ATKINS moved the second reading of
the St. Albans Court-house Bill.

Mr. HUME presented two petitions against the Aber.
deer Police Bill.

Haynes's Divorce Bill went through a Committee, and
on the motion of Mr. TEtixYsox Counsel were called in,
and witnesses examined. The House resumed, and the
Report ordered to be presented on a future day.
Mr. FYLER presented a petition against the Coventry
Canal Bill, and praying that the petitioners might be heard
by Counsel against the Bill.
Campbell's Naturalization Bill was read a second time,
and ordered to be committed. _ _

Mr. BELL moved for returns of the quantities of Coals
brought into London during the years 1825 and 1826.
Ordered.

Mr. LENNARD presented a petition from the silk-
weavers of Halstead, in the county of Essex, praying the
House to take into its consideration the present state of the
laws affecting the silk trade.
Mr. HUME said no one was more anxious to see the
difficulties under which the petitioners labour removed
than himself, but he must say lie thought they were under
a great mistake as to the real cause.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY had no doubt but that it was
owing to the large quantities of French silks imported into
this country ; he wished the advocates of free trade would
point out some means by which the starving thousam!s
could obiain a livelihood. He trusted they would be thus
prepared when the subject came before the House on
Thursday next.
After a few observations from Mr. Phillips, Mr. Bright,
Mr. Baring, Mr. Fyler, and Mr. Maxwell, the petition
was brought up, read, and ordered to be printed.
A Message from the Lords announced their Lordships'
concurrence to several private Bills.
Mr. MAXWELL presented a petition from certain
I Dissenters of Paisley, in favour of the Catholic claims;
and another from 4,500 persons of that place, respecting
the distressed state of the Silk Trade.

Lord CLENIENTS presented petitions from several
places in the county of Leitrim, against the Sub-letting
Act.

Lord TULLAMORE, in presenting a petition from the
Royal Canal Company, said, I hold in my hand a peti-
tion from the Directors of the Royal Canal Company, com-
plaining of a grievous injury inflicted on their vested
rights. Sir, there is in Ireland two canals—the Grand
Canal and the Royal. Most unfortunately for the into.
rests of both, they were executed in parallel lines, running
for about thirty miles from Dublin, at a distance of about
six miles from each other. This fatal error has been at-
tended with such ruinous consequences to each, that the
Royal Canal does not yield 1 per cent. on the capital ex-
pended. At this point the canals diverge to their extreme
point the
complaint ofepa
contained
r at ion b between
ins
petition tai tnido n i 18s, thatmileL the NGowir:
crn-
ment have sanctioned the issue of 18,0001. out of the
separation
public purse, for the purpose of executing an off-branch
from the Grand Canal to Kilbeggan, in the direction of
the Royal Canal, which will again approximate the two
canals, and bring them within eight or nine miles
of each other; this extension of an off-branch, they
are advised by the highest Law Authorities in Ireland,
is illegal. Now, Sir, us the Government exercise a
controul over their expenditure, they are prevented from
following any other mode of attempting to obtain redress
for the injuries complained of. I must explain in a few
words, the circumstances attending this grant :—About the
time of the dissolution of Lord Liverpool's Government,
the Directors of the Grand Canal Company, and John
Lambert, the proprietor of the town of Kilbeggan, applied
to the Lord Lieutenant for an advance of money cut of
the Consolidated Fund, for the purpose of making a
Branch Canal to the town of Kilbeggan. I got intimation
of this application, and addressed a letter to Lord Mel-
bourne, the then Secretary of State for Ireland, stating,
amongst numerous other objections to this proposed work,
that the 10th and 40th George 111. had hat been complied
with, which enacts " that no aid out of any public money
shall be given for completing any canal un!ess the scheme
be first laid before the Directors-General of Inland Navi-
gation." After some correspondence, it was determined
to submit the plans to the Board of Directors, and to stand
by their derision, who, after a minute investigation, re-
ported, that it would be injurious to existing and long esta-
blished interests, and that they could not feel justified in
recommending the work as being one of public utility.
The measure was, in consequence, abandoned ; and great was
our surprise to find, that on the appointment of Lord Angle-
sea, as Lord Lieutenant, and my Noble I,7riand as secretary,
wt has ascarried application f
eit
witho t• advance:_klu c p
secrecy,
ecf:wcz Narenewed,
that
believe
warrant was a;tnaily signed before the application for this
money had transpired. I wrote several reinonstranca.s to
the Noble Lerd, and have to thank him for tl.e courtesy
11 the
Parliament, ssu eito
and attention which he paid to the ommunications bi;t
how great was the consternatiou ef the Royal Canal Corn-
f:Wttaiiieis.&4l,lometoNhnocebyeoi,Ln:edr.i.l.dli'esic:!leuttpeli,rleoiislitaotiatoitniiaatsoectaotin:anAneoc-tf
a.any to find
which states, " that no off-branch shall be authorised by
the said Directors which shall interfere with or approach to-
wards either canal," &c. &e. From this startling deter-
mination the Royal Canal Company wished to appeal to
the Lord Lieutenant in Council, Vas were informed ti e
.Acts of Parliament had not contemplated this case; that
if the Directors had approved, and the Lord Lieutenan:
had negatived, an appeal lay to the Council against his de-
cision, but no provision was made for the present case. It
they carneto this House =1 asked for a vtivate committee,

Government would not meet the expense. Government
c,.ntrouled their expenditure, and naturaLy would not al-
low of an expenditure of their funds in applying against
their own decisions. This, Sir, is the only course left
for the petitioners to pursue, and they looic with confi-
dence to the justice and wisdom of Parliaatent for pro-
tection against this injury. I beg to express my most anxi-
ous hope that the Government will take this petition into
their consideration; if not, I shall feel reluctantly obliged
on a future day to give notice of a motion founded on this
petition, and th.it the petition be referred to a Com-
mittee up-stairs. Sir, I beg to move this. petition be now
brought up.
After a few words from: Lord L. GOWER, the petition
was ordered to be printed.

Mr. MIME moved for Returns to show the number of
Writers, Cadets, Assistant-Surgeons, and Chaplains, seat
out to India in I 526, 1827, and 1828.—Agreed to.
Mr. 111.731 E also moved for a Return of the number of
Freemen belonging to each Corporate Town in Ireland,
distinguishing the resident from the non-resident free-
men, as far as the same can be complied with.—Agreed to.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from Bolton-on-the-
Moor, in favour of the Catholic claims.

Lord L. GOWER gave notice that he should, on
Thursday next, move that the Irish 'Miscellaneous Esti-
mates should be referred to a Select Committee.

Mr. A. BARING presented a petition from the SM.:
Manufacturers of London, complaining of the state of the
trade.

Mr. JEPIISON presented a petition from the Boman
Catholics of two places in Cork, in favour of the Ca-
tholic claims.

Mr. COURTENAY presented Returns from the Fo-
reign Office, which had been received from the King's
Consuls abroad, relative to Fore'gn Corn.
Mr. STUART presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Kirkmichael, and another place in Bampffshire,
in favour of the Catholic claims.
CHARING-CROSS IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. D. W. HARVEY begged to draw the attention of
the Noble Lord at the head of the departments of Woods
and Forests to the singular circumstances attending the
projected improvements in the neighbourhood of Charing
cross. The original estimate of these :itnprovements bad
been so moderate as to induce Parliament to sanction the
undertaking without hesitation. They were taken at a
sum not exceeding 400,0001., and estimates were placed
before the House which held out the hope that this sum
would not be exceeded. Other improvements were sug-,
gested in addition, and the whole was estimated at an ex-
pense of 851,2131. Os. led. The result, however, as was
but too generally the case when Government was con-
cerned, proved that this was a fallacy, and it now came
out that these improvements would extend this sum above
25 per cent., amounting in all to 1,147,313/. 12s. 9d.
The speculation would, he believed, as far as profit was
concerned, prove a vet), unproductive one to the public,
whose money was expended on the alteration Like an-
other great financial project, it would be found to have its
dead weight also, and the result of his calculation on the out-
lay of money and the returns, proved pretty clearly theta
would be a loss to the public on the transaction after relettini
of about 193,6031. Possibly the Noble Lord was not awate
of the extent of loss sustained. His was an arduous duty,
no doubt, when it was recollected there were no less than
18 folio Reports on the subject of the crown lauf?s, woods,
and forests. These be had vainly attempted to get through
during the recess, and perhaps that Nob:e Lord bad, like
himself, not got through the half of them. Extreme
personal loss had been sustained in the whole of this district
by individuals who had been isolated by the demolition of
buildings around them ; and a butcher in that neighbour-
hood stated to him, that his receipts in trade were dimi-
nished from 4,0001. to 1,2901. within the last three years.
The Hon. Member concluded by moving, that a return be
laid before the House of the manner in which the sum of
542,905/. Bs. 6d. had been laid out already in purchases
of property for the improvements contemplated in Cha-
ring-cross, together with an account in detail of the actual
expenditure in different departments connected with these
improvements, contrasted with the estimates originally
laid before the House.

Mr. WARBURTON supported the motion. He
learned with suprise and regret that the Government Sur-
veyor had himself taken a considerable tract of ground,
which he had let out on lease, su as to realize a consider-
able profit on the speculation.

Lord LOW THER assured the House that there was
not one word of truth in the allegation of the last speaker.
..._(llear.)_The only property exposed to sale consisted of
three lots. The first had fallen into the hands of the vicar
whose house bad been pulled down; the second was pur-
chased by a tradesman in the neighbourhood, befOre he
(Lord Lowther) came into office and the third bad been
exposed to public rent—(Hear)—and was purchased at the
highest bidding—certainly the fairest way, and one which
he intended to pursue with respect to the Crown lands
generally—by a gentleman known to many of them, Mr.
Baker, who had no connection whatever with the depart-
ment. Great difficulty existed in getting a fair or just
estimate where the good-will of property and shops of
business was allowed to form part of the amount of the
estimate, which often swered the demand of the occu-
pants to an enormous and unconscionable degree. Such
was the case of the butcher alluded to; it 'Was impossible
to deal with him OH any thing but exorbitant terms, and he
had, it appeared, felt his obstinacy to his prejudice. As
to the .economy recommended by the lion. Member, he
should recollect the widening of the Strand at Exeter-
change had been suggested, not by Government, but by
Members of that House. Nor could it be expected that
it was possible, when money was laid out in the purchase
of houses in such a great and valuable thoroughfare as. the
Strand, that the public could make a profitable specula,.
tion of it, when it was necessary to give up 80 feet depth
of ground altogether, in order to throw back the frontage
of the street to that extent.

Mr. C. BARCLAY wished to call the attention of the
Noble Lord who presided over the woods and forrsts, to
the great advantages that would accrue to the public from
the proposed improvements in Bird-cage walk. A little
more expenditure would he sufficient.
Mr. HUME recommended his Hon. Friend to with-
draw his motion, and to shape it in obedience to the wish( 4
of the Noble Lord.

In answer to a question of Mr. R. CoutoßNE,
Lord LOWTHEER stated, that the recounneu.aations
suggested last year by a Committee of that Hrose to the
Board of Works, did not apply to the Woody, and Forests,
Mr. BANKES thought a more suffitient control than
at present existed over the exper.diture of the public money
on public buildings and improvements, was highly ex,
pedient.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was glad
the Hon. Member saw the expediency of modifying his
present motion, and would recommend him also to with..
draw other motions for returns made by him on the 13th
ult., relating to the Court of Requests and Queen Ann's
Bounty, as in their present lorna they would be not only
tedious and voluminous, but very expensive.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY said, the returns alluded to by
the Right Hon. Gentleman were not pursuant to l,is mo,
tion, but to one made by his Hon. Friend tbt Member for
Aberdeen, last session. His motion was merely for an
analysis of those returns.

Mr. PEEL assured the Hon. Gentleman that no censure
was intended by the suggestion of his Right Hon. Friend,
which merely recommended a more practical and less ex-
pensive form of motion.—The motion was withdrawn.

IRISH ADNIIRALTY COURT.
Lord F. L. GOWER row to move for a Select Com-
mittee to whom the lSth report of the Commissioners on
the Admiralty and Ecclesiastical Courts of Ireland would
be referred. His object was to inquire into the alleged
abuses of the Admiralty Court, under its present Judge,
Sir Jonah Barrington, which it was due to that officer
himself, and to the interest of public justice, should be no
longer let to remain without inquiry and, if possible, re-
dress.---The motion for the Cona:,nittee was agreed to, and
a Committee appointed. -
ANA?! TAIICAL SUBJE(
Mr. WARBUitTON. moved for a Committee of In-
quiry into the ;cleans of carrying into.effectthe'recomnien.
datienscf the Committee on Anatomy of last Session ; and
also for leave to discharge his Bill at present in progre4s
through the House.—Agreed to.
Sir A, GRANT brought up the Report of the Commit-.
tee of Supply of yesterday.
Mr. HUME ob erved,—when the vote granting
200,0004. todefray the claims under the Spanish Conven.
tion Act was read,—that it was understood that Ministers
would afford full information of the details of the claims,
to the defraying of which the present grant was to he
applied.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
inquiry, made since he 14st had a conversation on the sub-
ject with the Hoo,. Member, enabled him to state that
satisfactory ex,planation would be -Worded respecting the
claithants under the Spanish Convention Act. There
were three classes of there claimants. The first was fur
seizures of slave-vessels. One of these amounted to
1,5081. The next was consequent upon our last rupture
with America, when Spanish among other vessels were
seized, though not' condemned, by British cruisers. The
third was for negro slaves that had sought and received
pro:ection from us in Cumberland Island, on the coast of
Florida, during the American war. Those slaves partly
btionged to ;interim and partly to Spain. 'The Americans