THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATHsaid, that a belief existed in the public mind that some change was to take place in reference to the government of Ireland; and therefore during the recent changes in the Government he was not without hopes that the noble Lord at the head of the Government would have found himself in a situation strong enough to carry out the suggestion that had been made, and at once abolish the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He could speak from experience, and could say that a considerable change of opinion had of late taken place in Dublin respecting the office of Lord Lieutenant. It had been generally understood that the noble Lord who now held that office had been only sent over to wind up the concern. If that was the intention of the late Ministry nothing could be more agreeable than the sending out of that noble Lord. At the same time he had heard a noble Earl (the Earl of Carlisle) designated as being about to fill up the post of Viceroy of Ireland. From that noble Earl's public worth and private character he congratulated the Government in having obtained his services, as he was sure the noble Earl would do honour to the office. He trusted if the appointment did take place that the noble Earl would not be induced, from his characteristic benevolence, to think that every one in Ireland was as well-intentioned as himself. He had learned with satisfaction the appointment of an hon. Gentleman (Mr. Horsman) to the post of Secretary for Ireland. He was national in his feelings himself, but he was not dissatisfied to find that it was not an Irishman who had been named for this office, for he conceived that it was an advantage in carrying on the affairs of Ireland that the person filling the post which Mr. Horsman was to fill should be relieved from the importunity of relatives, who might wish to get appointments and situations in Church or State. There was another topic to which he begged to call their Lordships' attention. It was the rumoured appointment of a right hon. Baronet to succeed the right hon. Baronet at present at the head of the Admiralty. He need not say that the people of England had just now their earnest attention fixed on the existing state of public affairs in a way that had never before been exceeded. He had only been over here a week, and he could say he was quite satisfied on that point, and he 1870 thought, therefore, it was not too much for one of their Lordships' House to speak his honest feelings as to what he thought of the appointment. He did not wish to make any invidious allusions as to the administrative talent of the right hon. Gentleman who was to succeed to that office, but it had lately happened to him, as no doubt it had to their Lordships, to read in the Times newspaper that which purported to be a codicil to the will of a distinguished and gallant naval officer, Sir George Cockburn. He had left a paper which came before them with an authority which prevented them from doubting its authenticity. The writer stated that he did not conceive it was possible that any board or assembly could be so constructed to show more its own inherent unfitness for the business for which it was appointed as the Board of Admiralty. It was true that the gallant Admiral designed improvements which would take considerable time to mature, even if the Government were disposed to adopt them. It was not with a view of pressing this improvement on their Lordships' attention that he had alluded to this subject, but he thought it was due to the navy, having such an authority as the late gallant Admiral for it, that at the head of the Board of Admiralty should be placed a naval officer. He would only add that he did not think the Government could do better than avail themselves of the opportunity afforded to them by the return of Admiral Dundas from the important and delicate command he had lately held and so admirably carried out in the Black Sea, and appoint that gallant officer to the head of the Board of Admiralty. That gallant Admiral had returned home after eliciting the approval of the entire country for his services, and the thanks of Parliament had been awarded to him as the seal of that approval. The manner in which Admiral Dundas had obtained the co-operation of the officers and fleet of our ally in conducting the common service was also gratifying in the extreme; and therefore, without having had the slightest previous communication with Admiral Dundas, he (the Marquess of Westmeath) took the liberty of suggesting that there ought to be an officer at the Admiralty who could satisfy the country that the business of the department would be performed without that official neglect and ignorance which Sir George Cockburn, after long experience, had pointed out as having been hitherto manifested.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, he did not know whether the noble Marquess merely intended to make some observations, or whether he meant to put a direct question to him. He would not give an opinion upon an hypothetical case; he might, however, say, in reply to the suggestion of the noble Marquess, that no intention existed on the part of Her Majesty to abolish the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. As to the noble Marquess's opinion as to the popularity of such a measure, as far as his own knowledge went of the state of public opinion in Ireland—though he admitted much might be said on both sides—he must say that about a year and a half ago, when in Ireland, he heard an opinion expressed at a public meeting by a judicial officer of Government, that he thanked God they had a Lord Lieutenant, a sentiment that he had never heard more loudly cheered than that was. With respect to the appointments to which the noble Marquess had referred, he had to state that Mr. Horsman had accepted the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Sir Charles Wood that of First Lord of the Admiralty.