stance which, in his opinion, entitled the depositors to consideration, their claim being to something between equity, sympathy, and charity. [Cheers.] Well, it was not easy to define the claim. Were he to talk for six hours he would probably fail to make out a clear logical distinction. He did not think what was proposed in that case could be cited as a precedent hereafter. MR. NAPIER conceived the Commissioners were liable for the debts of the bank. It was not a matter of mistake; it was a question of duty; and, therefore, they should be held responsible as far as they could be. They were required to publish the state of the banks. If they neglected to do this, and if the public sustained injury from that neglect, according to the first principles of law they were liable. He would, therefore, vote for the 30,000l., but as an instalment; as he thought 20s. in the pound should be paid by the country. The Committee divided:-Ayes 118; Noes 39 Majority 79. Vote agreed to; as was also MR. WAWN said, the Bill was decidedly objectionable in its present shape. MR. LOCKE feared it would be impossible to legislate satisfactorily upon a question on which so much diversity of opinion existed with regard to the preservation of life in mines. He had no objection to the passing of the present measure, as it was as little objectionable as anything that could be devised, although he did not think that the mortality would be lessened by it. MR. FORSTER believed that in nine cases out of ten the fatal accidents which occurred were attributable to the men themselves, and not to the coalowners. Bill read 2°. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (IRELAND) (No. 2) BILL. Order for Third Reading read. MR. REYNOLDS said, he had remonstrated against the Government proceeding with the present measure. It had been introduced without any notice to the citizens of Dublin, or any person officially (4.) 500,000l., to discharge the like connected with that city. He had felt it amount of Supplies. House resumed. his duty to protest against it, but knew perfectly well that he had no chance of Resolutions to be reported To-morrow. defeating it; and he could only congratu INSPECTION OF COAL MINES BILL. Order for Second Reading read. MR. DISRAELI said, he had already protested against this interposition between labour and capital. He had had communications from several coalowners, who had represented that this interference with their property would be seriously injurious, and suggested that the measure be postponed till next Session. It was a piece of hasty and ill-considered legislation. MR. HUTT supported the Bill. So far as his information went, the coalowners of the north of England were unanimously in favour of it. He should like to know who the coalowners were who had represented to the hon. Member for Buckinghamshire that this Bill would be injurious to their establishments? All he could say was that the coalowners in two of the most important counties in England took a very different view of it. MR. WYLD reminded the House that upwards of 2,000 persons every year lost their lives in consequence of the ill ventilation of the mines, and that more than two-thirds of the coalowners of England had expressed their opinions in favour of the present Bill. late the Government on the new ally whom they had acquired in his hon. Colleague, who would, nevertheless, he apprehended, be called to account by his constituents on his return to Ireland. He believed a more wanton or unreasonable attack had never been made on the franchise of the people. Bill read 3o, and passed. The House adjourned at half-after One o'clock. SUPPLY-THE MONUMENTA HISTORICA | expenditure of the public money. BRITANNICA. The Resolutions of the Committee of Supply were brought up. MR. HUTT took the opportunity of calling attention to the want of liberality in the publication and distribution of the historical work called Monumenta Historica Britannica, urging that as the country had paid 10,000l. towards such publication, the price of 21. 2s. per volume now charged was far too high. The charge originally had been 51. 58. a volume, but that high price had acted almost as a prohibition to the circulation of the book, only six copies having been sold of it; and at the reduced price, out of an edition of 600, only forty-six copies had been disposed of. He thought, under the circumstances, the book should be sold for the cost of the paper and printing. MR. CORNEWALL LEWIS hoped that the 21. 28. would be found sufficiently low to place the work in the hands of the public at large; if not, the subject should be taken into consideration. MR. HUME thought the price should be so reduced as to bring the work within the reach of the bulk of the people. He suggested that a copy of the work should be sent to every public library. Resolutions agreed to. He complained that twelve enormously heavy votes had been passed after twelve o'clock last night, and he also complained of the haste with which the public money was voted this Session, as in former Sessions, for the defences of the country at Dovor, and in the Channel Islands. MR. BROTHERTON also promised to turn over a fresh leaf next Session. He would propose at the commencement of it that at twelve o'clock every night Mr. Speaker leave the chair, and thus he would effectually aid the views of the hon. Member for Montrose. The late hours this Session had injured the health of many old Members, and therefore it was high time to improve the present system. MR. COBDEN expressed a hope that the works of defence already begun would be reviewed, with a view to diminished expenditure. He believed that many of the works begun in a time of panic, when there was a species of engineering madness in the country, might with great propriety be discontinued. Why should the immense sum of 513,000l. be expended on the completion of harbours of refuge at the little island of Alderney? or why waste large sums of the public money in guarding against imaginary dangers? MR. HENLEY suggested that there should be a proper provision made for the WAYS AND MEANS-CROWN PROPERTY. inspection of works of this description from Resolutions brought up. MR. HUME said, that in lieu of the 385,000l. granted to Her Majesty to cover necessary expenses, the Crown property was handed over to Parliament to be managed to the best advantage, and the ill management of that property for the last fifty years was notorious. He thought there ought to be an annual balance-sheet presented to Parliament, setting forth the whole of the items connected with that property. He wished to give notice that next Session he would not agree to any vote of money after twelve o'clock at No matter what the pressure night. might be, he would oppose any and every grant proposed after that hour. If the Government wanted money, they must submit the votes in time. He admitted that out of deference to political friends he had hitherto neglected his duty in this respect, but he would change his tactics next Session; he would be constantly at his post, not on Committees, but in the House, and he would take especial good care to exercise an efficient check on the CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL. In answer to Lord REDESDALE, LORD BROUGHAM said, he was very much disinclined to withdraw the Charitable Trusts Bill, which stood for the second reading this evening; but he felt that the Session was too advanced, and the details were likely to cause so much discussion, that he feared he had no alternative. In postponing the measure, therefore, he begged to say he yielded to the pressure of circumstances which he could not resist. The subject was one of immense importance; and he contended that, instead of being introduced into the other House at a late period of the Session, the Bill ought to have been laid before their Lordships in the first instance, and at the earliest possible period, so as to have ensured that degree of attention from Parliament which the subject demanded. He hoped that next Session due and ample time would be afforded for the consideration of the subject, so that next year numerous small charities, which were now indifferently regulated, might be placed under a better system, which would ensure the fulfilment of their purposes. subject of connecting the Australian colonies more closely with England by means of steam communication, had occupied public attention in both countries for several years. In the year 1844, the Legislative Council of New South Wales voted an Address to the Queen, having this object in view; and in 1846, a Select Committee was appointed to devise the best means of That Committee recomcarrying it out. mended a continuation of the line from Singapore, and that a sum of 500l. per for 1847 in support of the undertaking. month should be placed on the Estimates for 1847 in support of the undertaking. That sum was accordingly voted by the Council, and had remained ever since applicable to the service in question. The same Committee estimated the amount of revenue likely to accrue from accelerated postal communication at 20,000l.; but as the population of the Australian colonies had much increased since 1846, it was fair to presume that the sum would now be larger. The same subject was entertained by the legislatures of Ven Diemen's Land and South Australia, and each colony had voted sums in addition to the postage. For the last two years public meetings and peLORD STANLEY concurred in the re-titions to Parliament had shown the public gret expressed by his noble and learned anxiety, and a Committee was now in exFriend that the measure had not been istence whose object was to bring this Tenders brought forward at an early period in the measure to a successful issue. Session. He did not himself approve of had been presented to the Government all the provisions in the Bill; but there from various companies. The India and was a pressing necessity for improvement Australian Company with the route by in the management of small charities. The Singapore occupied the field for many same thing happened to the measure last months, but in the end proved an abortion. year, and it would happen again, unless although they got a charter. Proposals some alteration was made, either to carry were also sent in for the Cape and Panama the business suspended in one Session to lines. It was now understood that the the next, or to provide for the introduction amount of postage, and the sums voted by the colonies, would cover the expense of of measures at an earlier period. conveyance from Singapore. The noble Earl then read a document, containing a statement of the moneys arising out of the Australian postal revenue, and out of the Sums voted by the different colonial legislatures applicable towards the establishment of steam communication between the Australian colonies and England : LORD LANGDALE made some observations, but his Lordship was quite in audible. After a short conversation, in which Lords WHARNCLIFFE and BROUGHAM joined, Order of the Day for the second reading read and discharged. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA. EARL TALBOT presented two petitions -one from certain firms in Glasgow, and another from the inhabitants of Plymouth and Devonport-praying for a more frequent and certain communication between the Australian colonies and England. The "New South Wales -Postal revenue, arising from the transmission of letters between this colony and England, estimated annually at 20,000l.; voted annually by the Legislature of this colony, 6,000l. Vad Diemen's Land.-Postal revenue, arising as above, 5,000l.; voted annually by the Legislature of this colony, 1,8007. South Australia.-Postal revenue, 5,000l. The local Legislature of this colony have expressed their willingness to contribute their quota towards steam communication, and would no doubt give as much as Van Diemen's Land-say, 1,8007. Western Australia.-Postal revenue, 500l. To- | ferences with the East India Company, tal, 40,1007." the colonies were suffering from imperThe noble Earl then proceeded to state fect intercourse with the mother country. that three routes for this communication Those differences, whatever they might be, had been proposed-one by Singapore, in were no excuse for delaying the communiconnexion with the Peninsular and Orien-cation to an indefinite period: all the Austal Company; another by the Cape of Good Hope; and another by the Isthmus of Panama. He considered the route by Singapore the easiest. He understood, however, that there was some difficulty on the part of the East India Company; but he thought it was the duty of the Government at once to take some one of the routes now proposed; and if the difficulties by the Indian line were insuperable, they should take the route either by the Cape of Good Hope or by Panama. It would be of great benefit to our South African colonies to open a route by the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius, and would tend to promote emigration to those quarters. The route by Panama, on the other hand, would secure us against any impediment to the transmission of our mails in consequence of an European war. On the whole he thought, perhaps, that the route of Panama was the best, as we had a line of steamers ready to take up the transit on the Pacific, by Lima, to Australia. He wished to impress upon the minds of their Lordships the vast importance of this subject, and the absolute necessity that existed for establishing some rapid steam communication with our Australian colo nies. The country was bound to establish a communication by steam with Australia without delay. There could not be a better application of the public money; and he hoped that it would be made forthwith, as, before long, the revenue derived from this source would more than remunerate the expense. He considered that it was the especial duty of Her Majesty's Government to foster this project; and if financial difficulties stood in the way, a loan might be effected with security upon the colonial revenues. The increasing importance of our interests in the South Seas required that we should have an efficient steam fleet always at hand, as a protection against foreign aggression; the French and Americans had already six or seven hundred whalers in those seas, with men-of-war always on the spot, whereas it was well known that when the insurrection broke out at New Zealand, only one of Her Majesty's vessels, the North Star, was on the station; while Her Majesty's Government were attempting to settle their dif tralian colonies wanted was, steam from EARL GREY observed, that Ministers were fully sensible of the advantage to be derived from a rapid communication with the Australian colonies. He considered the route by Singapore to be the most desirable, and the offer made by the Oriental Company to be not only fair but even beneficial to the country. He complained, however, of the obstacles which the East India Company had thrown in its way, out of regard, as it would seem, to the officers of their own marine. He thought, how COUNTY COURT EXTENSION BILL. The Commons' Amendments to the Amendments made by the Lords, together with the Commons' reasons for disagreeing to some of the said Amendments, considered. ever, he might say that ere long a steam communication with the west coast of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope would be established, and by that means with Australia, and also by a line from Singapore. He even entertained a sanguine hope that eventually both lines would be carried out; but at present there were diffi- LORD BROUGHAM moved that the culties which prevented the continuation of Lords agree with the Commons' Amendthe line by Singapore. He thought it ex-ments to this Bill, with the exception of tremely desirable that the matter should the reinsertion of Clause 17, which, by be amicably settled with the East India giving the power to appropriate the townCompany. He trusted, however, that the halls for the purposes of these courts, indifficulties in the way were not so insuper- terfered with the rights of property. able as to require the Government to adopt an extreme course. After a few words from Lord WHARN CLIFFE, LORD MONTEAGLE said, that if ever there was a step taken by a great company, exercising almost imperial functions, likely to set them wrong with the people of this country, it was the opposition presented by the East India Company to the endeavours of those who were desirous of carrying out steam communication with Australia, by the nearest and most effective route, as far as all purposes of postal convenience were concerned. The EARL of ELLENBOROUGH could not admit the reason alleged by the noble Earl (Earl Grey) for the delay in establishing steam communication with Australia-namely, the opposition of the East India Directors, as a valid one. He had filled the office of President of the Board of Control, and knew that it was in the power of the Government to adopt such a measure if they considered it advantageous to the public, independently of the concurrence of the East India Directors. With regard to the Bombay marine, or Indian navy, he had twenty years since recommended its abolition as being inefficient and extravagantly expensive. He deprecated its continuance or employment in the postal service; and had the Government with which he was then connected remained in power a month or two longer, that marine establishment would have long since ceased to exist. Petitions read and ordered to lie on the table. On the Motion of Lord MONTEAGLE, an Address for Copies of all the Correspondence between the Treasury and any other Department of Her Majesty's Government with the East India Company on the subject of Steam Navigation with the Australian Colonies, agreed to. The LORD CHANCELLOR concurred that the clause in question was a departure from the ordinary practice of Parliament, inasmuch as it interfered with the rights of property without providing compensation. LORD BEAUMONT had been, in the first instance, at a loss to conceive how the clause could have been originally passed by the House of Commons; but he was still more astonished to find that they had replaced it. He did not wish to risk the passing of the Bill; and perhaps the clause did not go so far as some noble Lords imagined, for it only provided that the county courts should have the use of the town halls when not wanted for other purposes. He thought it better to pass the Bill as it was, and remove the injustice complained of in a future Session, rather than risk the loss of the measure altogether. The EARL of ELLENBOROUGH considered it to be the duty of their Lordships to protect the rights of property, without reference to what course might be taken in another place in consequence. EARL GREY reminded their Lordships that these county courts were for the benefit of the corporations to whom the townhalls belonged. The town-halls were public property, and there was no interference whatever with private property. LORD REDESDALE repeated the objections to the Commons' Amendments; and after a short conversation, LORD BROUGHAM was disposed, after the explanation which had been given, to move that their Lordships agree to all the Commons' Amendments. If necessary, they might remedy the injustice of the 17th clause in another Session. Their Lordships divided on Question to agree to the Commons' Amendment :Contents 13; Not-Contents 11: Majority 2. |