§ LORD GEORGE BENTINCKbegged to call attention to a return that had been made, purporting to be a return of the foreign ships that had brought cargoes of corn to this country since the suspension of the navigation laws. It set forth no less than 538 ships, which, together, were represented to have imported considerably above half a million of quarters of corn. He apprehended there must be some great mistake in that return; and that no such number of ships with any such quantity of corn had availed themselves of the suspension of the navigation laws. The return also stated, that no less than 228,000 quarters of maize had been imported into Ireland by virtue of this suspension. Now, he happened to know that from the two ports of New Orleans and New York there had come, under favour of this suspension of the navigation laws, not a single ship from Now Orleans to Liverpool, and but three ships from Now York to Liverpool. He, therefore, thought when so small a number came from the United States to Liverpool, it must be perfectly clear that as maize could come alone from the Mediterranean, and from the United States, that this return was altogether incorrect, and must have been made under a misapprehension. He thought it must refer to all the foreign ships that had brought corn, and not alone to those that brought it by virtue of the suspension of the navigation laws.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERexpressed his regret that his noble Friend had not given him an opportunity of making inquiry on the subject, because not having that opportunity, he could not give as satisfactory an answer as he would wish. When the question with reference to the extension of the term of suspension of the navigation laws was about to be brought forward, he wrote to the chairman of Customs to send them a return of the number of foreign ships that brought in corn by virtue of the suspension of the navigation laws. This was the return that was made pursuant to that order; and at present he could only presume that the return made by the Customs was in strict conformity with the order which had been made upon them. He would, however, again apply to the Customs to know if any mistake had been made.