Lords Sitting of 1 April 1859

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS.—1a Sale of Gas.
THE SALT TRADE TO CHINA.

  QUESTION.
  LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, he had no intention to embarrass the Government in the Question which he was about to put to the noble Earl, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Salt was now successfully exported to India, and it had become of the greatest importance to the owners of our salt mines that the great Empire of China should be opened to their trade; and an application had been made to the Foreign Office that they would open a negotiation with the Chinese Government with that object. He begged to ask, Whether any instructions have been sent out to the Earl of Elgin to negotiate with the Chinese Government respecting the Admission of British Salt into that Empire,

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  and whether any Communication have been received from him upon the Subject? Also, Whether any instructions were given to the Hon. F. Bruce, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Pekin, directing him to press this matter on the attention of the Chinese Government?
  THE EARL OF MALMESBURYsaid, he was quite sure that, in putting this question, his noble Friend had no intention to embarrass Her Majesty's Government. In reply to his question he had to inform him that Lord Elgin had received no instructions upon this subject, because it was thought better that the matter should be left entirely to his discretion; when the treaty reached Her Majesty's Government it was found that no provision had been made in reference to salt, which therefore still remained a contraband article. When the Hon. Mr. Bruce went out, a month ago, he was charged with instructions to put this upon another footing, and to ascertain, with the advice of the other officials in China, on what terms salt might be admitted into China.

  MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION. THE VOTE ON THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL.
  THE EARL OF DERBY: My Lords, in rising to move the adjournment of the House till Monday, I trust that my silence on the present state of public affairs will not be construed by your Lordships into indifference or disparagement of the unfortunate consequences which result from the vote of last night; on the contrary, my Lords, I consider that vote to be of such serious consequence that I felt it necessary to invite my colleagues to meet at an early hour this morning; and after the meeting of the Cabinet I had the honour of an audience with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. My Lords, I have not the sanction of Her Majesty to make any communication to your Lordships in regard to what took place; and I think that the state of affairs is so critical and the consequences of the vote of last night are so important, that, considering the House of Commons has adjourned till Monday, I think I shall best consult your Lordships' convenience, and the convenience and interest of the public, and shall best show my sense of the gravity of the occasion, by postponing till Monday any statement I may have to offer to your Lordships. But I shall be prepared on that day to lay fully before
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  your Lordships the advice which I and my colleagues have thought it our duty to tender to Her Majesty, and the course which, with Her Majesty's sanction, we propose to adopt.
  House adjourned at half-past Five o'clock to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.