The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-03-08 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY.

Sir R. PEEL brought in his bill founded on the resolutions
for amending the corn laws which had recently been agreed
to. He took that opportunity of stating, that it was found
the proposed new mode of taking the averages would affect
several of the corn inspectors, who would, if superseded, have
a just claim for compensation. It was, therefore, resolved
to retain such of them as were competent to the duty, and in
the new towns to employ the excise. He was most desirous
that the progress of the bill should be accelerated, and that,
on passing, it should come•into immediate operation. He
prOposed, therefore, that the second reading should take place
on Wednesday next. _ _

Mr. CoiloE'N adverted to the attack made upon him on a
former evening by Mr. Ferrand, and said, that having made
inquiry, he learned that there were but a few men employed
in his print works by night, and only upon works which must
otherwise have been suspended. The company with which
he was connected regretted that it was unable similarly to
employ more of the thousands who were idle in the neigh-
bourhood. They knew nothing at all of the truck system,
and paid the men their wages at eight o'clock every Saturday
morning.
Mr. VILLIERs read a declaration from 72 of the principal
manufacturers of Lancashire belonging to the Anti-Corn-
Law League, repudiating the accusations preferred against
them by Mr. Ferrand.
Mr. FERRAND said he had not charged. Mr. Cobden with
cruelty, nor had he charged all the members of the Anti-Corn -
Law League with the practice of fraudulent manufactures,
or with the abominable truck system. But the latter system
was spreading, and he was prepared to prove it.
Some warm language ensued, which called for the inter-
ference of the Speaker, after which
Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice, that on the second reading
of the Corn Law Bill, he would take the sense of the house
upon the measure.
Sir R. PEEL stated his wish, if possible, to make his finan-
cial statement on Friday next.
In reply to a question from Lord PALMERsToN as to the
rumours of the organisation of a conspiracy against Spain in
France,
Sir R. PEEL expressed a hope that the Spanish people
would rally round the Government, and by their own energies
defeat any conspiracies against it. Although in that case
direct assistance could not be given, yet they would secure
the strong sympathy of this country.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought it was wise in the case of civil
war to avoid interference, but not so in the case of other
foreign interference.
Mr. O'CONNELL complained of the conduct of Espartcro
towards the Spanish clergy.
Sir R. PEEL said it would be presumptuous in an English
Minister to question the conduct of the Spanish Govern-
ment ; though, when the life of the Queen was recently in
danger from conspiracy, they were justified in expressing
their sympathy.
After some further conversation on this point, the house
resolved itself into a committee of supply, and Mr. S. HER-
BERT brought forward, the navy estimates. He stated that
the number of ships in commission would be,' probably,
slightly reduced, but he should not propose any decrease in
the number of seamen ; by which means the Government
would be enabled to send the ships to sea in the most perfect
state of equipment. The estimates differed little from those
of last year, there being in some departments a decrease, and
in others a small additional increase of expense. In one in-
stance additional expense had been incurred in providing se-
curities against fire in the dockyards, and in another by
carrying out the contract for the Halifax line of steamers.
In fact, a large sum that came under the head of naval ex-
penses might more strictly come under the head of Post-
office expenses. The honourable gentleman concluded by
moving that 43,000 men be voted for the service of the en-
suing year.

Se'veral subjects came under discussion in the committee
—the mode of building our ships of war, the manning of
our ships, and the case of Mr. Elton. With respect to the
latter case, Sir George Cockburn said that Mr. Elton's re-
lease was at the request of the admiral of the Mediterranean
fleet ; and Captain Berkeley referred to the fact that he had
been obliged, on a former occasion, to turn Mr. Elton out
of the Thunderer.

In'answer to Lord Ingestre,

Lord STANLEY stated that it was not the intention of the
government to send out any new expedition to the Niger, still
less one composed of white persons. On the part of the
government he disclaimed all wish to assert any right of
sovereignty in that quarter of the world. It was not deemed
altogether expedient to abandon the settlement already made,
and although any persons going out to settle there must do
so on their own responsibility, yet government would give
them the protection of a small armed steamer, manned by
nearoes.

The vote of 43,000 men, including boys, was then agreed
to for the ensuing year, as were also votes of rnongy for wages
and other purposes.
Sir C. NAPIER brought under the consideration of the
house the impropriety of having a civilian at the head of the
'Admiralty board, and suggested a plan of his own to remedy
the anomaly.

Captain (:',ARNEGIE strongly supported the importance of
having a naval man at the head of the Admiralty, and hoped
that the many situations in the gift of the Admiralty might
be conferred on naval men who had served their country well,
rather than upon civilians.
. .

Lord Howler( said it would he inconvenient to lay it down
as a rule that at all times a naval officer of high rank should
be selected to fill the office of First Lord of the Admiralty.
The practice regarding the army was urged as a precedent,
but he hoped he should never form 911-C of an administration
where the cabinet must be so hampered as it could not fail
to be under the present practice in the army. If time per-
mitted he could show that an awful waste of human life and
treasure had taken place at various times, owing, not to the
individuals who presided, but owing to the system which had
prevailed, and which was still in existence.
Sir H. HARDINGE said that the evidence of the Duke of
Wellington, and of other persons of distinction in the army,
before a committee, was directly opposed on this head to the
opinion of the noble lord. He hoped he would never see the
day when the commander-in-chief would be placed under the
authority of a civilian.
Sir R. PEEL, said he should be sorry to exclude any naval
officer from filling the office of First Lord of the Admiralty,
but on the other hand he should be also sorry that any reso-
lution of that house should interfere with the constitutional
practice which had hitherto prevailed, and which had at va-
rious times placed most efficient civilians in that situation.
Ile thought the plan proposed by Sir C. Napier much less
likely to be efficient than the one now in existence.
Sir C. NAPIER stated, as a proof of the mismanagement
of the Board of Admiralty, that they were at one time obliged
to send out secret orders to the captains of their ships to
avoid engaging with American vessels. With a view that a
naval man should be appointed to the office, he moved that
the sum for the service of the Admiralty Board should be
reduced by the sum of £3,500, being the amount of the salary
of the First Lord of the Admiralty.
The amendment .was negatived without a division, the
house resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on
Monday.

The death of the Hon. and Rev. Charles Bathurst, LL.D.
Rector of Siddington, Gloucestershire, youngest son of the
late, and brother of the present, Earl Bathurst, took place
on Sunday night last at the Abbey, Cirencester, the seat of
Miss Master, where he had been staying a few days on a
visit.
- -

THE LATE MARQUIS OF HERTFORD.—The Marquis of
Ilertford expired at four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon at his
residence, Dorchester-house, Park-lane. The deceased peer,
Francis Charles Seymour Conway, third Marquis of Hert-
ford, had nearly completed his 65th year, having been born
on the 11th of March, 1777. He was the only son of the
previous Marquis by that peer's second marriage with Isa-
bella Anne, the daughter and heir of the last Viscount Ir-
vine
sof Scotland. Immediately upon attaining his majority,
viz., in 1798, he was returned to parliament for the borough
of Orford, in Suffolk. From the year 1802 to 1812 his lord-
ship (then bearing the courtesy title of Earl of Yarmouth)
sat for Lisburne, which his cousin, Captain Meynell, now
represents ; while from the year 1812 to 1820 he was returned
for the county of Antrim. From the latter date, until his
father's death on the 17th of June, 1822, he sat for Camel-
ford, and on the occurrence of that event he first entered the
House of Lords.