The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-25 00:00:00

HOUSE. OF COMMONS.—FittnAy.

After the presentation of many petitions on a great variety
of subjects, one was presented by Mr. Labouchere from the
common carriers, again praying the adoption of some mea-
sure for the correction of the railroad monopolies, which
seriously injured their business. It was ordered to be re-
ferred to the select committee on railways.
The Thames Plate Glass Company Bill was read the se-
cond time.

Mr. EW.kRT gave notice that early ite March he should
bring forward a measure on the policy and justice of abolish-
ing the " punishment of death."
Mr. BAINES, amidst considerable "-merriment," stated
that, on an early day, he should again bring forward his mo-
tion (on which the house was `.` couutod.out" *few nights
ago) regarding first fruits and tenths.
Mr. SHAW and, Mr. Setjeant JACKAON Stated the nature
of the amendments they intend to propose iu the Irish Muni-
cipal Corporations Bill.
Mr. GOULBURN moved for a return, which was ordered,
of the amount of postage paid by the public departments
since the introduction of the new plan.
Mr. Fox MAULE moved for a new writ for Perthshire, in
the room, of Lord Stormont, now Earl of Mansfield.
This motion led to a long and curious discussion. It was
contended by Sir R. PEEL, Mi. GOULBURN, Sir W. RAE,
Sir G. CLERK, Sir R. INGLIS, and Lord STANLEY, that as
there was not the evidence usual on a vacancy occasioned by
an English peer's death—namely, the evidence that a writ of
summons_ had issued for calling the member to the other
house, it would be fitter to adjourn the question as to the
issuing of the present -writ till Monday next ; and though
succession to the Scottish peerage of ttormont would take
place without any writ of summons to the House of Lords,
yet it seemed probable that the precedents of Parliament, if
. consulted, would show that some process was usual with re-
spect to a Scotch succession analagous to the English writ of
summons, which evidence it might be proper to put in evi-
dence before this house. The government and their friends
were, however, quite resolved on hurrying the writ. But
their whole argument, repeated over and over by Mr. Fox
MAULE, Mt. R. STEUART, Lord Howtoc, and Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, was merely that no real'doubt existed in anybody's
mind as to the fact of Lord 'Stormont's succession to the
titles and dignities of his father; and Mr. HUME, with his
characteristic felicity, desired to know whether there was any
intention of questioning the legitimacy of the noble lord?
Sir IV:FOLLETT announced, that though no doubt could
arise in Lord Stormont's case, yet it would be highly inex-
pedient and indecorous to make the issuing of the writ in
each instance depend upon the individual circumstances of
the family.
Mr. O'CoNNELL sermised that the gentlemee of the .p po,
sition wanted time to find a candidate. On a division, the
adjournment to Monday was negatived by the ministerial
majority.
Lord PALMERSTON stated, in answer to a question from
Sir R. PEEL, that the settlement of the " affairs of the
Levant" (the dispute between the Sultan and the Pasha of
Egypt, &c.) is still the subject of negotiation between the
Five Powers, but that he could not anticipate the period at
which that settlement would take place..
Lord SANDON rose to call the attention of the house to the
petition of British subjects, claimants on the government of
Portugal, which was presented on the 14th of the present
month. The treatment of the petitioners had experienced
at the hands of the Portuguese government, in whose service
they had fought and bled, was shameful in the extreme.
(Hear.) When they had demanded a settlement of their
just claims, they were persecuted and treated like common
felons. (Hear, hear.) These men had been induced, by the
conduct pursued by the' government of this country in 1832,
to enlist in the service of Don Pedro, and when at the expi-
ration of their services a settlement was proposed, every
species of fraud was resorted to for the purpose of reducing
their Claims. (Hear, hear.) They were refused the payment
of a shilling, unless they would sign a receipt in full for the
whole of their demand. Commissions had been appointed
for the purpose of evasion—for the purpose of chicanery—
for the purpose of delay. (Hear, hear.) Since 1835, nearly
five years ago, had these men been wandering the streets, in
vain applying to her Majesty's government of Portugal for
support—some perishing from want—some destroying them-
selves in despair. (Hear, hear.) In the August of last year,
a communication was made by Lord Palmerston to the Por-
tuguese minister for foreign affairs, on the subject of these
claims, but having been rejected, another communica-
tion was made, and Lord Howard de Walden was in-
structed to demand, of the Portuguese government, the
appointment of a commission, to inquire into the claims
of the officers and soldiers who had served in the Portu-
guese army, and, in the event of that application not being
attended to, that her Alajesty's government would of them-
selves appoint a commission to inquire into their just claims.
Another communication was made in November to the same
effect ; but since that period there had been no advance
made whatever for the settlement of their claims. In the
interim there had been a change In the government of Por-
tugal, but the present Minister for Foreign Affairs was more
hostile• to the clain-iants than his predecessor had been.
There had been two commissions appointed within the last
five years. At the head of one was
an English officer who
resigned his appointment at the expiration of five days, as he
saw no possibility of his doing any service. In three years
only one claim had been decided to the amount of £4O. (Loud
cries of " Hear, hear." lie (Lord Sandon) asked the Go-
vernment to pursue the same course with regard to Portugal
that had been pursued with reference to the Court of Spain,
as he felt satisfied it was the only course whichr of
would give
satisfaction. They heard nothing of French, or
or of Belgian claims; and how did it happen tl:at they heard
only of British claimants, when they (the Portuguese) owed
so much to.this country in blood and money? (Hear, hear.)
He (Lord Sandon) had no personal concern in bringing this
matter before the house. The subject came under his ob-
servation, and having perused the documents which fell into
his hands, he could not hesitate to urge the just demands of
the claimants on the attention of the house. (Hear, hear.)
The noble lord concluded by moving, as an amendment, that
an address should be presented to her Majesty, praying that
her Majesty would appoint a commission for investigating
the claims which British subjects had on the Government of
Portugal, and that her Majesty would take an early oppor-
tunity of-enforcing their claims on the attention of that
Power.
The original question and the amendment having been put,
Loyd PeeereusroN said he could .assure the noble lord
that in what he had said as to the conduct of the Portuguese
,gldoederernssmedenttl,iertilloatitisneg to the parties on whose behalf he had
disposed to agree he (Lord Palmerston)
with him, because he thought much
of the several parties concerned in the treatment of the
claimants very much d • was
the conduct
could'assur6 the nob'
deserving of re' probation.' glean) He
e lord that her Majesty's overnment
had pressed on the Present Government of Portugal the ne-
cessity of appointing a commission to sit in London for the
purpose of examining into these claims. It was true that the
previous administration having shown a desire to settle the
claims, it became her .Majesty's Government to give them
every opportunity of. doing so. But along with noticing the
desire which that Government had evinced, her Majesty's
Government had sent out the communications which had
been read by thp noble lord, and it had been since intimated
to the Portuguese Government, that as these claims still re-
mained unsettled, a commission must be appointed to sit in
London, to be composed of one-half British subjects on the
one hand, and one-half Portuguese subjects on the other;
and if the Portuguese Government did not do so, that her
Majesty's Government would.of themselves appoint a com-
mission, to consist entirely of British subjects; and that
whatever might be the amount on which that commission
should decide, that it should be immediately demanded of the
Portuguese Government. (Hear.) He (Lord P.) therefore
suggested to the noble lord (Sandon) to withdraw the amend-
ment he had proposed, as the effect of it would be to pledge
the Governmeet to do that in a way in which it would be
better not to do after the explanation he had given. (Hear,
hear.) After alluding to the unsettled state of the Govern-
ment of Portugal, the result of the long struggle in which
that country had been engaged, as one of the causes of the
long delay in settling these claims, the noble lord concluded
by again expressing a hope, that the hamendment would be
withdrawn.

Sir H. I.IA.RDTNC E 0
were driven iato in. neti-uld not forget, that when these men
friend (Lord Bandon) they were treated as his noble
l'i.n.y stated like felons. (Hear, hear.)
it was monstrous that these
reinstated imen, who, by their gallantry
Portugal, when they advanced theirtl Queen upon the throne of
edlike
felons,claims, should be driven
into mutiny, and, chain
flog of the people in the streets be exposed to the scof-
fing
had not
(Hear, hear.)
But the noble lord (Palmerston) explained why it
was that these claims had been disr‘e,,-
there'avara:d it'r
five years.
.efalxity of duty
He (Sir H. Hardinge) thought
and a want of energy in the representative this country, in
seeing these men 'first refused their claims, then driven into
mutiny, and s treated like felons in the street'
of Portugal.. 1
I
(Hear, hear.)
Viscoitrit'SA:k:nos would, in consequence of what had fat.
len-frbm tiabbble 10ra,..:-.;uipOnd his motion jr r all address,
• As' to the Pdrtugue.AelniPertnnintt. he itift4tltay That he Ilai
no hope in their generosity Or their justiee, and believed that
they would never pay that claims except on compulsion.

.~:'~~

NN‘Nr`'l.Nry

~~~~ .~

3--N"

Alddrmdtt Sif Woon quired whether, as finthet pro-
deedings in that case of Stockdale v. Hansard; which caused l.
Mr. Sheriff Evans's present detention, could not, according
to the judge's order, come en till April 20, it was the noble
lord's intention to keep the sheriff in confinement during !
that time ?
Lord J. Russru. answered, if the sheriff had any coin—. j
munication to make, or anything to say, it could come before'
the house in the regular manner.
Mr. GORDON; in answer to an inquiry by Mr. Retries,
said there bad not been any further notice issued, by the
treasury regarding the parties whose opium had, been de -
stroyed at China.
Mr. MORE O'FERRALL (the house having resolved in'io a
committee of supply) brought forward the navy estimates, of
which he briefly stated the outline from the usual -papers
printed for the house. He announced a contemplated in-
crease in our naval force, the total cost of which was to be
£5.659,000: and he intimated the intention of government
to add to the number of artificers in the, dockyards, and to
take measures for building some. line-of-battle ships of
large class.
Sir GEORGE CLERK said, that though he did not, ntend
to oppose the projected increase, he yet regretta that no
public statement had been made of the circiamstances by
which that increase had been required. Tti the admiralty
should employ the grant properly, there ought to remain no
deficiency in our naval establishments.. It was a larger sum
than had been asked by the government of 1830, the last
year in which he-had enjoyed tb.z 'honour of being connected
with the admiralty. In 1829 and 1830 the force kept up by
government had been larger than the force voted by parlia-
ment, the practice having then been to vote only the number
of men required for the stations, and not to include the
reliefs. The extra cost was defrayed from savings on other
items. This whole practice had since been altered. The
expense, however, of the year 1830 had been less by X 300,000
than that of the present estimate. It had been admitted by
Secretary of the Admiralty that our ships in the Mediterra-
nean were now on a peace establishment, but they had not
the full complement even of peace; and to the peculiar cir-
cumstances 'of that portion of the world a peace establish-
ment
was altogether inadequate. Nothing.but the object of
moral influence could have justified sending twelve sail of
the line to thatquarter ; but for this object twelve sail were not
enough, and still less when so imperfectly manned. We had
increased our Mediterranean force from 9 sail to 12, but the
French had increased theirs from 8 to 15, and these, moreover,
were of ti very large class. With respect to disposable force,
there was at this moment but one man of war which
could be despatched to any other point requiring the protec-
tion of our commerce, or the vindication of our national
hominy from insult. It had appeared in a preceding part of
this evening that government had not sufficient influence with
Portugal even to obtain bare justice for British subjects.
But should not we have found our influence sufficient, if we
had threatened to withdraw our three ships from the Tagus?
If we were not to receive common attention from Portugal,
why had we, for five years, been keeping up these ships at a
cost of £lOO,OOO per annum ? Again ; the news of the dis-
pute with China had arrived here last July, yet it was not
till just now that a man-of-war and a couple of frigates had
been sent out to reinforce our countrymen there, 'Undoubt-
edly, the government were now, at last, providing themselves
with funds to meet all exigencies, The number of artificers
necessary for keeping our navies constantly in a state of re-
pair had been estimated under the Duke of Wellington at
6,000 men. The number now proposed was 8,391 ; and if
this amount should prove insufficient to restore our navy,
gross, indeed, must be the neglect of the government. He
was sorry that such an increase had become necessary. We
were told that our state was still one of profound peace. It
was more like that state in which the Duke de Choiseul had
advised the French to keep us—constantly worried and
fevered with the danger and 'annoyance of a war which was
never to be brought to an actual explosion,
Mr. M. O'FERRALL explained on some points of detail,
and said that England could equip for sea 4 larger force than
any other power could provide in the same time.
Mr, HOME saw 1W reason for an increase of England's

force, except that France and Russia were'increasinftheirs.
At this rate even peace brought no respite from expense. It
was all owing to the policy of ministers on the Turkish
question. He enlarged on their mismanagement, but said
he would not propose any reduction.
Lord INOESTRiE thought that, though the conservatives
bad been blamed for exposing the country's weakness, they
had done more wisely to take this course than to have left
the nation under a delusion as to its real strength. It was
asserted some time ago that the force was sufficient ; hut that
assertion had now been disproved by the fact that more had
been added; and this good, at all events, the exposure had
effected. The noble lord then went into some details of com-
parison between our naval force and that of France., „
These details were controverted by Admiral ADAM, who
was followed at some length by Sir T. COCHRANE:
Lord PALMERSTON observed, that, except Mr. Hume, no
member seemed to think the proposed force too large. Mr.
Hume had accused the government of keeping up a war es-
tablishment in peace : others had charged it with keeping up
a peace establishment in war : his own inference would be,
that a just medium had been preserved. Their foreign po-
licy had been attacked; but whatever its other merits, at
least it had that of success. It had been especially assailed
on the subject of Eastern affairs, wherein, however, it had
been based on the principle of preserving the integrity of
Turkey and the peace of Europe. The Admiralty had been
blamed for suffering itself to be played upon by France; but
if France had attempted, which he did not admit, to exhaust
our resources, it was only by a still greater expenditure of
her own. The retention of a large fleet in the Mediterranean
was obviously necessary with reference to the forces of the
other maritime powers; and the vessels in the Tagus, one of
the most central ports in Europe, were more disposable, and
with less danger of disclosure as to their direction, than even
in the harbours of Great Britain.
Sir R. PEEL denied the claims of Lord Palmerston to the
credit of success. Even among the Powers of his quadruple
alliance he had plainly no influence. Portugal had for five
years refuied to do justice to the crying demands of English
subjects, and had violated all her engagements to England in
the matter of the slave trade, Spam had refused even the
permission of a body cf British merchants to open a chapel
in the Havannah. France, intead of manifesting friendship,
was so far increasing her armaments, as to compel England
to incur vast additional expenses. In America, the boundary
question was still unsettled. In short, the whole course of
foreign affairs had been so much the reverse of successful
that the embarrassment of our finances, of which the defici-
ency wus yearly aggravated, was actually owing to the necessity
for atagularitod foroc, occasioned by the uneasy relations of
this country with other states.
Lord PALMERSTON,. with much warmth and spirit, accused
Sir R.. Peel of having dwelt on matters beneath the dignity of
the subject, and of feeling sore about Portugal, because it was
there that the tory policy had been defeated by a liberal go-
vernment. If there was a want of cordiality on the part of

France, the result was the consequence of the irritating lan-
guage employed by the tory party and the tory press. In
many great affairs the foreign policy of the
,government had
been eminently successful—in the slave trade treaties with
Spain and Portugal, and in the commercial treaties with
Austria and Turkey. It had failed perhaps in some unim-
portant particulars ; but in these the conservative govern-
ments had not been at all more fortunate.

Sir R. PEEL observed, that the more unimportant the par-
ticulars in which England's influence had failed, the stronger
was the inference how powerless it must be. The alienation
of France from England was no work of the tory press ; it
was the work of that press which wrought under the guidance
of the noble lord himself.
Lord SANDON said he was surprised the noble lord could
have had the courage to talk of his influence abroad, when he
had failed to establish a more enlarged system of commercial
relations. The merchants of England have been applying
year after year to the noble lord to prevent the expulsion of
British shipping from Portugal, but owing either to want of
attention or want of influence on the part of the British Go-
vernment, that expulsion had taken place.—(Hear, hear.)
With these facts before him, surely he had no right to say
that his foreign policy had"been successful. Had the noble
lord forgotten that the French had laughed him to scorn
where the interests of commerce were concerned. In point of
fact our commercial interests had been neglected in the Gulf
of Mexico, in the Rio dela Plata, and on the coast of Africa,
to such an extent as to prove either that the noble lord was
inefficient as a minister, or that his influence was powerless in
all quarters.
Captain A'Co (nix, Captain PECHELL, and other members
said some brisk things about Admiral Fle►ning's celebrated
appointment ; but no one opposed the vote, which, therefore,
was carried without a division. The house then resumed, and
the report was ordered to be received on Monday.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL stated, in answer to a question from
Mr. Maclean, that the estimates would be proceeded with on
Monday.
The other orders having been diiipoled cif, the house ad-
journed at a quarter past one o'clock.

Leave of absence has been granted by the House of Com-
mons to Sir Charles Coote, till March 8, illness in family ;
Sir George Crewe, one month. illness; Mr. Ingham, circuit;
Mr. George Cavendish, one month, domestic calamity.
TAE LATE SIR F. L. MAITLAND.—The decease of Rear-
Admiral Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland, K.C.8., commander-
in-chief in the East Indies, took place on board his flag-ship;
the Wellesley, 72, at sea, in the vicinity of Bombay, on the
30th December last. Sir Frederick, who expired in the 63d
year of his age, was desended from the noble house of Lau-
derdale; he has.at all times borne with honour and credit
his character as an officer and a gentleman, and to that we
will add a thorough seaman, warmly and sincerely attached
to his profession ; he entered at an early age, and became
lieutenant of the Andromeda in 1795. Sir Frederick was
ever an active man, and in 1800 brought home overland the
despatches of .Sir Sidney Smith, detailing his successful
effortsbein ineffecting the treaty of El Arish. This treaty not
expe-
dition , acceded• to by Lord Keith, led to the Egyptian
on that memorable occasion, Capt. Maitland covered
the landing ofaiAldbercrombie's troops the armed launches
our army with the bos
of the fleet,
Dragon and Loire Captain Maitland
subsequentlyin
tphie.o tleacktee doof one of the wingsin o f
to his country, and,
.Aboukir. the
was eminently service-
ableb his discernment and energy in
the latter ship, lea to the action of Sir Robert Calder's
squadron with the combined Spanish and French fleet.
Captain Maitland subsequently commanded the Emerald,
and in the American war
asflag obtained the Goliah, razeed 74,
and the Boyne, 98,captain
but, o
tontheh
Sir Alexanderre
breaking
ing o
CuUtc ho-
tane, on the coast of America;f
the war and the return of Bonaparte 74 from Elba, he was ap-
pointed to the-Bellerophon
iii guns, and joined the blocka-.
ding squadron under Sir H'
inngbothatadt
echuipetfataniinAfirsOimt..
othamt off Rochefort. The
battle of Waterloo a second t'
and whose La
the throne of France, heiotuosokdeurtnee7runtglirhO
ntioounraT
emake no terms
land's ship, whose prey
tbreuattmiteinstnootf
with the ex-emperor,
him when a guest, is well known to the world :
so well known, however,, that on Bonaparte's leaving the
ship, he offered for Captain Maitland's acceptance aii am diamond
snuff-box, valued at 3,000 guineas ; the acceptance of which
was conscientiously declined. Capt. Maitland subsequent]y
commanded the Vengeur, 74, and in her conveyed the King
of the Two Sicilies to Leghorn, and then the Genoa, 74, as
a guard-ship in Portsmouth harbour. On attaining his flag
as rear-admiral, Sir Frederick was appointed superintendent
of Portsmouth dock-yard, which he resigned on being ap-
pointed to the important.command he held at the period of
his death. Lady Maitland was on board the Wellesley at
the tine of her gallant husband's death, and intends to re-
turn to England in the Herefordshire East Indiaman.
CAPTURE OF THREE FULL-GROWN FOXES:—On the
morning of Wednesday week, (the ground being partially
coveredts with snow,) as Robert and Thomas, sons of John
were on Esq., of Snow-hill, accompanied by a man-servant, on their way to Bolton-park, they observed the print of
a fox, and subsequently t • d him to
a deep hole ou the ' lhist ebottorn estate, which had been
nearly filled with large ' 1
. lace his diurnal abode, viz.,
Robert thought this Place, they also markedl,ooolofoasveousrtaobnlese .a
chOmnieleootokibneglrieogulne(cltetidie,
another fox in the same hole. Master
and hastened holm;
and two neighbouring for the greyhounds, leaving his brother
sheep, to watch whetherMes,'
his return with the dogs thneyard
who had been attending their
taxes made their escape. On
commenced removing part of
the loose stones, when Rey as artfully attempting an
in tai
commenced
escape, but was caught before hw.
place. The party being thatsatistieLdgo a another fox yet re-
mainedalive many
in the place, they
second search, and,
race, was
surprise a
and
after some exertion, they succeeded
about to secure him, to theinr
Watson,,,o had
et-ftee;cting
as they were
third, with all the cunning peculiar to his r
his escape from the same quarters whence the othervs
just before been unearthed; very fortunately Mr.
arrived at the moment, and tallyho'd him, and after a short
and desperate run he was killed by his eager and fleet Pur-
, suers. . The ope just before taken alive wad next turned off,
and afforded a beautiful little run, but like his other two col-
leagues, his days were done, and his depredations were no
more,— WeitmOrland Gazelle.

••yC

%. 'NI

N!'lw

FOIIEIGIV INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.
REJECTION OF TILE DUKE DE NEMourts"
:BILL.
PARIS, THURSDAY', HALF-PAST Nemours'
.Dotation Bill has just been rejected by the Chamber of De-
puties. It was thrown out after the general discussion, on
the question being put whether the articles should be di cussed
seriatim. The majority against the bill was 22G to 200,
leaving a net majoritv of 26. This will produce a profound
sensation in Parts to-morrow, and throughout France as the
news reaches- the provinces, and the MINISTERS MUST RE-
SIGN- It is a great triumph on the part of the opposition
against the crown and the government, and may lead to seri-
ous results.