HC Deb 06 March 1876 vol 227 cc1437-8

Order for Third Reading read.

Motion made and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."—(Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.)

MR. DODSON

asked what were the circumstances with regard to the fragmentary sum to be asked for?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, something was paid to the captain of the ship for bringing over the bonds, and that, with the interest, came to something more than £79,000. They took a Vote to cover the entire expenditure, but it was not certain yet as to what particular item the sum would be applied, but if it were found to be more than sufficient for the purpose, the balance would be surrendered to the Exchequer. Mr. Cave was expected in England in a few days, and the Government would have an opportunity of obtaining further information.

MR. GLADSTONE

considered that the more correct and Parliamentary course for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to have adopted would have been to have dealt separately with the sum which was to be paid to the Khedive and that which was to be paid to Messrs. Rothschild. He admitted, however, that it was now too late for that. With regard to the fragmentary sum also, the course which the right hon. Gentleman proposed was rather an inconvenient deviation from Parliamentary practice—namely, to ask the House to vote a certain sum, however small, without any Estimate, and for the insufficient reason that it was to make up a round number. The right hon. Gentleman had evidently not the smallest knowledge as to what the sum was to be applied, and that was scarcely the way in which the voting of the public money ought to be conducted.

Mr. SULLIVAN

wished, in justice to M. de Lesseps, to say that when the proper time arrived for discussing the dismissal or withdrawal of Sir Daniel Lange, it would be found quite an erroneous assumption which had run through the short debate, that M. de Lesseps had been actuated either by bitterness, heat, or injustice in his conduct. He would only add that the letters written by the representative of the Canal Company, while displaying that partiality which an Englishman ought to show to his own country, were wanting in loyalty to the president of the committee of which Sir Daniel Lange was the representative, and that there was no commercial nation on earth and no mercantile firm in England which would allow its representative or secretary to act as Sir Daniel Lange did on that occasion towards M. de Lesseps.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill read the third time, and passed.

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