§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETmoved the second reading of this Bill, which with the two following Bills on the Orders of the Day—the Naval Prize Acts Repeal Bill, and the Naval Prize Bill — was proposed for the purpose of consolidating the Acts relating to naval prizes. One point in which it was intended to alter the law had reference to ransom, and it would be left to the Privy Council to decide at the commencement of any war, whether the 627 question of ransom should be entertained. After the Bills were read a second time, he would move that they be committed pro formâ, for the purpose of receiving alterations, and then that they be reprinted with the Amendments.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Lord Clarence Paget.)
§ SIR JOHN HAYsaid, he did not oppose the Bill; but he rose to draw the attention of the noble Lord that the Repeal Act professed to deal with a number of Bills in force since the reign of Queen Anne; but five or six were omitted that should have been included. A number of Acts were also repealed in part, but he thought, with some care, these statutes might be wiped off, and what was valuable put in another Act. Confusion would arise in respect of the Acts repealed in part; they referred to pay and prize, and they were repealed as regarded prize and not as regarded pay. He thought those subjects should be separated. There were six Acts with reference to the slave trade, which might be dealt with in the same way. He thought it very undesirable that the whole of the law with regard to prize should be left to be settled by Royal Proclamation, or Orders in Council, as proposed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th clauses.
§ Motion agreed to,
§ Bill read 2o, and committed for Thursday next.
§ Then, NAVAL PRIZE ACTS REPEAL BILL, and NAVAL PRIZE BILL read 2o, and committed for Thursday next.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before Twelve o'clock.