Lords Sitting of 6 March 1845

MINUTES.
BILLS. Public. — 1a. Stamp Duties Assimilation; Companies' Clauses Consolidation; Companies' Clauses Consolidation (Scotland).
PETITIONS PRESENTED. From Society at Truro, for the Adoption of Measures for the Suppression of Intemperance.

HARBOURS OF REFUGE.
Lord Colchestersaid, that he rose, in pursuance of the notice which he had given, to move for an humble Address to Her Majesty to lay before the House a Copy of the Report of the Commissioners appointed in April last to inquire into the subject of Harbours of Refuge. As he understood that Her Majesty's Government would offer no opposition to the production of this Report, he should not occupy much of their Lordships' time in stating why the subject should be laid before their Lordships. It must be well known to such of their Lordships as had turned their attention to the state of the southern coast, that there was not from the South Foreland to Portsmouth, a distance of more than 100 miles, a single harbour capable of providing shelter for vessels of any size, or for men-of-war to lie in, so that they might be able to give protection to any vessels that might be passing by there. Great inconvenience had been felt in time of war, and there had been a great loss of life and property, from the want of harbours of refuge, when ships with Government troops and stores were making their passage from the river. No great work had been attempted to remedy this evil, with the exception of the Plymouth breakwater. A Committee of the House of Commons sat last Session on the subject, and recommended that some measure should be adopted; but said also, that a Commission to inquire into the details of the subject should be appointed by Her Majesty. A Commission was accordingly appointed, and directed to consider the necessity of constructing one or more harbours of refuge in the channel; and to fix on the site that should be chosen. It
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was required, first, that it should be easy of access at all times of the tide; secondly, that it should serve as a station for armed vessels of war, for the purposes of defence and offence; and thirdly, that it should possess facilities of defence in case of an attack by an enemy. The Commissioners visited all the principal stations on the coast, and collected a great deal of valuable evidence. Their Report recommended large works to be constructed at a very great expense, and the concluding paragraph stated that the Commissioners could not conclude their Report without expressing in the strongest terms their unanimous conviction that measures were indispensably necessary to give to the south-eastern parts of this kingdom harbours to act as a refuge and a powerful naval protection. He entirely concurred in that opinion, and trusted that before the end of the Session Government would take some steps in compliance with the recommendation of the Commissioners. Great inconvenience had been and would still be continued to be felt, if the coast were left unprotected.
Agreed to.

COURTS OF COMMON LAW PROCESS BILLS.
Lord Campbellmoved that the House should go into Committee on these Bills. There was one Amendment which he wished to make, and that was, that the process should be served on persons residing abroad, either by a British subject, or by a Notary Public.
Lord Broughamsaid, that this Amendment removed part of his objection to the measure. It was known that the Notaries Public in France were persons of high character, and could be trusted; but it might not be safe to repose the same confidence in the notaries of other countries. He would throw out this suggestion—whether a Judge's order should not be required, indicating, having regard to the particular country, in what way the service of the process should be performed?
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that this Bill might have very important effects with regard to the proceedings in Courts of Equity. He therefore hoped that his noble and learned Friend would give him time to consider what the operation of these Bills, in that respect would be.
Lord Campbellsaid, that he would leave it to his noble and learned Friend to name a day.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that he would

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name the first day of the meeting of the House after the Easter holidays.
After a few words from Lord Ashburton.
The three Bills passed through the Committee, and ordered to be reported the first Sitting Day after Easter.
House adjourned.