The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-04-30 00:00:00

DANISH CLAIMS.

Mr. CRESSWELL said, thaton the Ist of March a report
was presented of the commissioners of Danish claims. He
wished to ask whether that was the only report the house was
to expect in consequence of the vote of last year.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was understood to
say, that, before he took further steps in the matter, the
house must determine whether they would entertain the case
at all, and vote money for satisfying these claims.
MESSRS. YOURDRINIER'S CLAIMS.

Mr. MACKIN;ON said, that in 1836 a committee had been
appointed to investigate the claims of Messrs. Fourdrinier.
The committee then met, and drew up a report, which was
presented to the house, to which the Speaker took an objec-
tion because the word compensation was named in that report.
The house was probably aware, that, previously to the dis-
covery, paper was made by the hand, and the process was
both tedious and expensive. The machinery invented by Mr.
Fourdrinier was of a very complicated nature ; but by it paper
could be made without manual intervention, of any length,
to the extent of several thousand yards in one continuous
piece. It might be asked, how had they lost the benefit of
this patent? It appeared that they had expended a great
portion of the capital in bringing the practice to perfection.
Every trade and every department of science and the
arts had. been benefitted by it. In the Potteries it had
been shown that but for the invention of Messrs. Four-
drinier, it would have been quite impossible to have
brought china tq such perfection as it had been. Mr.
son, of the Times newspaper, had given similar te~t[Ylsully..
The invention of Mr. Fourdrinier was such, that all risk and
labour was avoided by it. In 1800 there were no machines
in existence, and the duty on paper then received amounted
to only £193,533. In 1821 the amount of duty had risen to
X 572,867, and in 1835 the duty had risen to £833,839. He
did nit mean for a moment to say, that had machinery not
been invented the duty would not have increased progres-
sively ; but he would say that, without the aid of the ma-
chines, it would have been perfectly impossible that it could
have risen in the extraordinary manner that it had. He
would move that the report of the committee on Messrs.
Foudrinier's bill be taken into consideration.

Mr. Humz apprehended that the hon. member ought to
move that the house go into committee of the whole house
upon the question on an address, or something of that sort.
The house could not come to a resolution on that motion.

The SPEAKER considered that it would be necessary to
move the house into committee previous to any step being
taken.

Mr. MACKINNON said that he would adopt the suggestion
and move for a committee of the whole house.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was not there to
deny in any shape the merits of the invention of Mr. Four-
drinier,-which had been of great benefit to the public at
large, and also to the revenue of the country—(hear, hear)
—but it by no means followed that he was entitled to
pecuniary compensation from that house. There was no sub-
ject upon which the house was bound to exercise greater dis-
cretion than in money grants. He was willing, however, to
consent to the present motion ; and after the opinion of the
house had been expressed upon this subject, he would state
what course her Majesty's ministers intended to pursue.
Lord F. EGERTON thought that government generally had
drawn the line of reward for merits with great severity.
Mr. M. PHILIPS having been on the committee which in-
vestigated the Messrs. Fourdrinier's claims, he could say,
that a stronger case for remuneration was never made out
within his experience, than had been established in favour of
the authors of this splendid invention.
After some further discussion, the CHANCELLOR of the
EXCHEQUER hoped the hon. member (Mr. Mackinnon)
would withdraw the motion. He thought this was a very
peculiar case, bearing on the whole manufacturing industry
of the country in various branches of manufacture ; and he
thought it was not much to ask, on the part of the govern-
ment, before they finally made up their minds, that they
should hear evidence on both sides, and other evidence be-
sides exparte evidence.
Mr. MaciumstoN said, that in compliance with the feeling
of the house, he would withdraw the motion, being perfectly
satisfied with the assurance of the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, that he would take the case into consideration.
The motion was then, by leave, withdrawn.
ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.

Mr. HAWES then brought forward his motion for the
abolition of the jurisdiction of all the inferior ecclesiastical
courts.
Dr. LIISHINGTON expressed a very strong wish for the re-
formation of these courts. He' entreated the house to re-
form them—first, for the sake of justice ; secondly, for the
sake of their own characters ; an object which he had nearly
and dearly at heart, in order to remove all occasion for that
bitterness of spirit which disgraced and debased religious
differences in this country.
The motion, with an alteration proposed by Mr. Rice, of
omitting the words " without delay," was carried.
Upon tire motion of Mr. LANGDALE, leave was then given
to bring in a bill to explain and amend an act of the Ist and
2d of William IV. relating to double assessments of the land
tax.
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD obtained leave to bring in a bill
founded on the principle of the bill of last year, for the cus-
tody of infants.
Sir F. Burdett's name was then called by the SPEAKER,
and the hon. baronet (who had a notice on the paper to call
the attention of the house to the petition of Mr. Dillon) not
being present, -
Mr. RICE said, " that this was the third time that this
notice had stood upon the paper in the hon. baronet's name
without being brought on. The government were charged
very freely in the newspapers with having unfairly neglected
an individual. He trusted, therefore, that the hon. baronet
would bring this matter forward for discussion at an early
period, when he would be quite prepared to meet him."
The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.

The Earl of ABERDEEN presented a petition from New-
foundland, numerously signed, for the abolition of its legis-
lative assembly, on the ground that it was very improperly
constituted, owing, it was alleged, to the extraordinary in-
fluence exercised by the Roman catholic priesthood of that
colony. He admitted that the proposition was somewhat
startling, and that he could not say he was prepared to sup-
port its prayer ; but he thought it incumbent on the govern-
ment to institute inquiry.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he had heard repre-
sentations of a contrary character, but, in order to ascertain
the truth, he had put himself in communication with the go-
vernor of the island. He acknowledged that, if the facts
were as represented, inquiry, with a view to remedy, must
proceed. As soon as he had received the governor's report,
or could state any result to the house, he would do so.

The Earl of DURHAM presented a petition of a directly
opposite character, signed by the speaker of the assembly,
&c.

Extended conversation ensued, in which Lords Itirow,
BROUGHAM, &C., took a part.
The Duke of RICHMOND moved for a return of all pri-
soners for trial in the different gaols and houses of correction
in England and Wales at the period of the last assizes, but
who were not inserted in the calendar ; specifying their of-
fences, and also whether any, and which of them were dis-
charged by proclamation; with the view of introducing a
measure to improve the administration of justice in this re-
spect.
Agreed to after some discussion, and their lordships ad-
journed till Monday.