Lords Sitting of 30 April 1852

MINUTES.
Sat first.—The Lord Dynevor, after the Death of his Father.
PUBLIC BILLS.—1a Repayment of Advances (Ireland) Acts Amendment.
Reported.—Copyright Amendment.
3a Exchequer Bills; Sheep, & c. Contagious Disorders Prevention.

GENERAL ROSAS.
THE EARL of MALMESBURYrose for the purpose of removing a misapprehension from the mind of the noble Marquess opposite (the Marquess of Clanricarde), who had asked him yesterday whether any and what orders had been issued from the Treasury relative to the reception to be given to General Rosas. As it was now six weeks since that order was issued, he could not at the moment charge his memory with the precise words in which the Treasury Order was couched; but, on referring to the document itself, he found
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that it ran nearly in these words: "I am directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to request that you will give orders to the officers of Customs at Southampton, Portsmouth, and Plymouth that, on the arrival of General Rosas and his daughter, they be treated, so far as regards the passing of their baggage, with all the consideration due to the eminent rank and station which he so lately occupied." This was almost a stereotyped order used in the case of all foreigners of distinction arriving in this country; for it was the custom to treat all distinguished foreigners on their arriving in this country with the utmost deference and respect. The order did not exempt General Rosas from the payment of the ordinary Customhouse dues on the landing of his baggage; but it merely provided that he should be treated with the utmost courtesy and respect.
EARL GRANVILLEsaid, that the explanation of the noble Earl was quite satisfactory. All he had wished to know

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was, whether any special instructions had been issued with regard to General Rosas.
After a few words from Lord MONTEAGLE,
The EARL of ABERDEENwas understood to say that no other course could have been adopted than that which had been adopted by the noble Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. What he objected to was the conduct of the leading officers of the Navy at Plymonth in visiting General Rosas officially. The slightest attention paid officially to General Rosas would be misconstrued in the country with which he was recently connected; and, if it involved any idea of partisanship on the part of the Government of this country, it would be dangerous to the prosperity of our commerce in those regions, where it was just emancipated from the shackles which the General had imposed upon it.
The EARL of HARROWBYobserved, that it was a shame to offer to General Rosas more than the usual honours paid to distinguished foreigners on their arrival in this country, seeing that he came to our shores with the blood of a murdered British officer on his head, for whose murder no explanation or atonement had yet been offered.
The EARL of MALMESBURYdid not think that the noble Earl could have been in the House when he first addressed it, because he then distinctly stated that no additional orders with regard to General Rosas had been sent by the Admiralty or the Foreign Office, as to how or when or where he was to be received. The only order sent was the one he had read; by which it was directed that when he and his daughter arrived, their baggage should be examined with the courtesy and civility which was usually adopted towards foreigners of distinction; and he had been visited by the officers in command at Plymouth, without their having received any official orders on the subject.
LORD BEAUMONTbegged to say that he thought the remark which had fallen from his noble Friend near him (the Earl of Harrowby) might have been spared. For his own part he (Lord Beaumont) respected the motives which had dictated the conduct of the Government in this matter, and he applauded the course which they had taken. General Rosas ought not to be trampled on now that he was down, and he might well be left to the stings of his own conscience.

COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL.
On the Motion of LORD COLCHESTER the House resolved itself into Committee on this Bill.
LORD BEAUMONTsaid, he could not help thinking that several clauses of this Bill relating to translations would be very injurious to literature and to the progress of science. The clause relating to dramatic pieces would, he conceived, have the effect of giving to foreign authors a monopoly in the representation of their plays in this country. It appeared, too, that newspapers were to be prevented from copying anything from the foreign newspapers, unless the name of the paper from which the extract was taken should be mentioned. Such a rule would interfere with the ordinary custom, and would be quite unnecessary. He fully acknowledged the advantages of an international copyright, but he could not help thinking that they were pushed too far in the present Bill.
The MARQUESS of NORMANBYexplained the reasons why a Bill of this nature was required. It was necessary in France that French authors should be protected from unauthorised translations, and our object was to prevent the piracy practised on British authors in France. M. Galignani, who was no bad judge on such a subject, thought that this Bill was an excellent Bill. The French Government had desired a much longer time for the protection of French authors from unauthorised translators, and, under the instructions of Lord Palmerston, he had obtained a considerable diminution of the period which the French Government originally proposed. The convention which protected copyright in the two countries reciprocally had met with general assent when it was first published in this country, and this Bill carried out that convention. He was convinced that it would prove a very beneficial measure.
LORD CRANWORTHsaid, that we should gain something, and should also lose something by this measure; but he was not prepared to say whether the advantages would preponderate over the disadvantages. However, he should not offer the Bill any opposition.
After a few words from the Earl of DESART and Lord COLCHESTER,
Bill reported without Amendment; to be read a Third time on Monday next.
House adjourned to Monday next.