§ Mr. Matthias Attwoodmoved that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to direct her Majesty's consuls, situated in those ports, to which British coals are exported, to report what quantities of such coals have been received in those ports during the year 1841, and to state, as far as they are enabled to do so, the purposes to which such coals have been applied. The right hon. Baronet had rested that part of his financial scheme which related to the exportation of coals, upon the assertion that the British coals exported were applied to purposes which interfered with British manufactures. He thought that the return for which he moved, would show that there was no ground for that assertion; and it should be recollected that the coals itself was an article of British manufacture—at least, it employed British labour and capital.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that he did not object to the return; but in consenting to it, it must not be supposed that he considered that information at all essential to the consideration of his proposal, or that he bound himself to suspend legislation on the subject until the arrival of that infor- 835 mation which the hon. Member required from distant parts.
§ Mr. Matthias Attwooddid not suppose that the right hon. Baronet would bind himself to wait until the return could be made; but he could not help considering that information was absolutely essential to the due consideration of this matter, inasmuch as the right hon. Baronet had rested his case entirely upon the assertion to which he had already referred.
§ Motion agreed to.