Commons Sitting of 24 August 1843

MINUTES.
BILLS. Public.—1° Parishes (Scotland).
PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Mr. Emerson Tennent, from Lisburn, against the Repeal of the Union.—From the Dioceses of Ossory, Ferns, and Leighlin, in favour of Schools in connexion with the Church Education Society.—From Cork, in favour of the Arms (Ireland) Bill.—From Ennisworthy, for Altering the Irish Poor-law.

MURDER OF COLONEL STODDART AND CAPTAIN CONOLLY.
Mr. Cochranebegged to ask the right hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government whether any official account had been received of the barbarous murder of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly? With the latter of these gentlemen he had had the happiness to be acquainted, and knew him to be a man of most estimable character. He was sure the House would sympathize with him on the occasion, and he begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in case the report on this subject was confirmed, he had any hope of obtaining redress against the Ameer of Bokhara, who had been guilty of the crime?
Sir R. Peelsaid, he was not surprised that the hon. Gentleman should entertain the feelings he had manifested at so barbarous an act as the murder of two British subjects by the Ameer of Bokhara, and independent of the influence of personal feelings arising from private friendship, he was sure every subject of her Majesty must feel the deepest indignation at such at such an outrage upon humanity. The Government had not received any direct official account, confirming the report of the murder of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, they had received no direct positive assurance amounting to complete proof of the fact, but as the hon. Gentleman had intimated to him his intention to ask this question, he had gone through the whole of the papers, and he confessed the evidence contained in them was so strong that he feared there could not be a question that on the 17th of June, 1842, the two officers in question were murdered in a barbarous manner by the orders of the Ameer of Bokhara. Colonel Shiel, in despatch of the 12th of Novem-

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ber 1842, sent an account, given by a Persian of good character, of the name of Saaleh Mahomed, who was at Bokhara, giving a circumstantial narrative of the murder of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly. The writer was present in the town, and the account which he gave carried with it certainly internal evidence of truth. Subsequently, reports were circulated at Teheran that the account was not true, and it was stated that a letter had been received from Bokhara declaring that the murder of Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly had not taken place—that a Greek and a slave had been murdered and their bodies exhibited to the people, and a report spread by authority of the Government that these were the bodies of two British subjects, but that the two British subjects were still alive. That report received from India, created a belief that the original account of the murder was incorrect; but upon referring to the report of Mahomed Saalah, he found it stated that the murder of the Greek and the slave took place on the 10th of June, and the Persian distinctly stated that Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly were put to death on the 17th of June, consequently he was afraid the countenance given to the contradiction of the report was without foundation. A letter from St. Petersburg, of the 1st of July, stated that inquiries bad been made of the Envoy from Khiva, and the Envoy informed Count Nesselrode in a report, that accounts had reached Khiva from Bokhara, and he entered into details which left no doubt as to the truth of the story. That letter was received on the 10th of July, and therefore it confirmed the original statement. He had a letter from Colonel Shiel, written at Teheran, in which he transmitted a letter from the chief authority at Bokhara, a Persian, in which no express reference was made to the murder. Colonel Shed said, that this Persian officer demanded a sum of 3,500 tomans as due to him by Colonel Stoddart, who had lodged with him, and made no reference to the murder, but that this circumstance seemed confirmatory of the report of the death, as the omission of a direct reference to death was only in conformity with Persian manners. These accounts, therefore, from Teheran and Petersburg appeared to confirm the original report. He was sure the hon. Gentleman would not press him as to the adoption of the measures which this country had a
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right to press with a view to obtain redress. He believed all the civilised world to whom the matter had been communicated participated in our feelings on the occasion. The Emperor of Russia had behaved in a manner worthy of a Sovereign allied to this country. He had refused to entertain any communication with the Khan of Bokhara, and when an envoy was sent by the Khan to the Russian Government the Emperor refused to hold any communication with him. The Sultan had acted in the same manner; and therefore, without reference to the measures that might be taken in consequence of this barbarous murder of British subjects, he could only state that he felt the utmost indignation at so atrocious a crime and he did not despair that in some way or other punishment would reach the Government which had caused it.
Mr. Cochranewished to ask whether Captain Conolly, when he went abroad the last time, was employed upon the public service.
Sir R. Peelbelieved not.
Subject at an end.

PRICE OF BREAD.
Mr. T. Duncombebegged to say a few words, in order to remove an impression created by what had passed on a former occasion with respect to the price of bread in the metropolis. He understood that what had been said by the right hon. Baronet had caused considerable alarm and some indignation amongst a numerous and respectable body of men—the bakers of the metropolis. They maintained that the price of bread had risen and fallen with the price of wheat, and by a reference to the weekly averages of the price of wheat, their statement would be found to be borne out. The weekly average of wheat for the six weeks preceding the 7th of July was 49 s. 10 d.; the price of flour was 42 s. a sack, and bread was 7½d. the loaf. The average on the 12th of August was 61 s. 2d. for wheat, flour 53 s. the sack, and bread 9d. a leaf. Since the 12th of August the price of wheat had fallen 3s. It should be observed that there were two prices for bread, the higher and the lower price, and he understood the extreme price to which bread rose was from 6½d. to 8d., the bread which was sold by the bakers at what was called the West-end for 9d., being bread which they had previously sold for 7d. When the price of

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flour fell 3s. or 4s. the sack, it only reduced the price of bread by a halfpenny a loaf. The right hon. Baronet had recommended Gentlemen to deal with such parties as only charged a fair price. He believed the competition in the trade was so keen, that there need not be the slightest alarm of any advantage bring taken of the public. At all events, the right hon. Gentleman's doctrine ought to be carried much further, and to go the length of recommending all to buy wheat and flour in any part of the world where they could get them cheapest, and not to confine them to England, or the limits of the metropolis. He believed the statement of the bakers, to which he had referred, to be perfectly correct.

SPAIN.
Mr. Hindleybegged to ask the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government, whether any information had been received of the French government having acknowledged the present government of Spain, and also whether the English Government was inclined to recognize it as a government de jure?
Sir R. Peelsaid, that in declining to answer the question, he would only say, he was quite certain it was the duty of the Government of this country—where other governments administered the powers of a foreign country—without expressing any opinion—to take care that British interests were not prejudiced.

STATUES OF DISTINGUISHED MEN.
Mr. Haweswished to ask the right hon. Baronet if he had taken into his consideration the propriety of decorating the new Houses of Parliament with statues of distinguished persons.
Sir R. Peelsaid, the hon. Gentleman and the House would probably recollect, that there had been some discussion on this subject a few nights ago, and the hon. Gentleman had proposed that commissioners, appointed to the particular duty of inquiring into the best mode of encouraging the arts in connection with the building of the new Houses of Parliament, should be empowered to consider whether it would be advisable that statues or other records of public gratitude to persons who had distinguished themselves in the departments of literature, science, and the arts, should be placed in them. He rather objected to giving a general
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power to the commissioners, but said at the time that he had no objection to authorise them to ascertain whether there was any part of the edifice now being constructed for the two Houses of Parliament which could be appropriated to the reception of such statues or memorials, and if they were of opinion that any part could be so appropriated, that they should have full powers to consider what would be the best mode of attaining the double object of raising a lasting record of public gratitude to distinguished persons, and, at the same time, encourage the arts; and he fulfilled his pledge in a few days after it was made, by giving to the commissioners full power to consider the question.

CATHEDRALS.
Mr. Ewartasked whether there was any probability of the cathedrals being thrown open to public inspection?
Sir Robert Peelsaid, he had no authority in the matter, and could only express his own strong opinion in reference to it. He could only state that for the purpose of protecting property from any injury which might arise from the admission of the public, the Government would lend the assistance of the police, and every aid in their power, to obviate the objections that had been made to the suggestions on this subject; and he should have thought, after the example of throwing open the cartoons without charge, from which not the slightest injury had arisen, it would be considered that free access might be allowed without the apprehension of any mischievous consequences, and that where the admission was unrestricted, the public would themselves act as a police, as was exemplified in the cases of the British Museum and the Cartoons.
Subject at an end.

PROROGATION.
The Usher of the Black Rod appeared at the Table, and delivered the Queen's command for the immediate attendance of the Commons in the House of Peers.
The Speaker attended by the Members present, proceeded to the House of Lords, and on their return the right hon. Gentleman read at the Table the speech delivered by her Majesty from the Throne, immediately after which the assembled Members withdrew.