Lords Sitting of 29 July 1862

MINUTES.
— PUBLIC BILLS.—1a African Slave Trade Treaty (No. 2); Bankruptcy Act (1861) Amendment; Burial Boards (Mortgage of Rates).
2a Polling Places (New Shoreham, &c.); Militia Pay.
3a Savings Banks (Ireland); Weights and Measures (Ireland) Act (1860) Amendment; Fortifications (Provision for Expenses); Thames Embankment; Parochial Assessments; Companies, &c.; Confirmation of Sales, &c.; Divorce Court.
Royal Assent.—Transfer of Land; Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland); Duchy of Cornwall Lands (Completion of Arrangements); Leases, &c. by Incumbents Restriction Act Amendment; Declaration of Title; Highways; Lunacy (Scotland); Pier and Harbour Orders
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Confirmation; Inclosure; Elections for Counties (Ireland); New Zealand; Parochial Buildings (Scotland); Merchant Shipping Acts, &c. Amendment; Naval and Victualling Stores; Jurisdiction in Homicides; Petroleum; Sheep (Ireland); Copyright (Works of Art); Harbours Transfer; Mutual Surrender of Criminals (Denmark); Indemnity; Jamaica Loan (Settlement); Turnpike Trusts Arrangements; Windsor Castle (Bakehouse).

PIRACY IN THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.

  QUESTION.
  VISCOUNT STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFEsaid, he desired to call the attention of Her Majesty's Government to an extract from a newspaper called the Singapore Free Press, which related to a transaction of considerable interest and some importance; so much so, that seeing the noble Duke at the head of the Admiralty in his place, he took the opportunity of making an inquiry on the subject. The Singapore Free Press made the following statement:—
  "The Sarawak screw steamer Rainbow, Captain Hewat, which arrived here on the morning of the 2nd current, from Sarawak, brings us tidings of six of the large Llanun pirate prahus that have of late been doing so much mischief on the coasts of Celebes, Borneo, and Java, and which managed to elude the vigilance of all the war steamers sent out by the Dutch authorities in search of them. A condign punishment has, however, overtaken them, and probably at a moment when they thought themselves beyond that part of their route where danger of opposition was to be looked for. To Captain Brooke and his small force is due the sole credit of having given the only effectual check of late years to the career of these formidable pirates, who for some seasons past have been making desolating cruises throughout the Archipelago, in spite of the exertions of the Dutch men-of-war, and with entire forbearance towards them on the part of the British navy."
  The noble Lord, having related the particulars of the destruction by the Rainbow of a squadron of six pirate boats, which had taken several prisoners from Muka and the neighbouring villages, read the following passage from the Free Press:—
  "The rescued prisoners state that another Llanun squadron, consisting of five boats, separated from the one destroyed, and went in the direction of Billiton and Banca, and it would, no doubt, soon make its appearance among the islands in the China Sea, and on the coast of Borneo. Her Majesty's steam-ship Scout, now in this harbour, ought at once to proceed in search of this squadron, and do something to relieve the English navy from the slur which the continued apathy of naval authorities to the existence of the Llanun piracy so near our doors is calculated to bring upon it. All honour to the little Rainbow and her gallant commander, Captain Hewat, and the other brave men who accompanied him."

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  He wished to know from the noble Duke, Whether any information had been received on the matter to which he had called attention, and what steps would be taken for the suppression of piracy in the Indian Archipelago?
  THE DUKE OF SOMERSETsaid, that Her Majesty's Government had received information with reference to the proceedings of the Rajah of Sarawak against the pirates, from an officer who had taken part in the proceedings, but the details were rather meagre. It was quite true, however, as was stated by that officer, that it was useless to attempt to overtake the pirates with a vessel of 1,400 tons, because they had vessels of very light draught, and the moment they were pursued by a vessel of war they sought the protection of the shoal water, where the large vessels could not follow; and it was necessary, therefore, that small gunboats should be provided to follow them. It was quite true that for the last two years piracy had been very rife in the Indian Archipelago, and Her Majesty's Government had called the attention of the Government of the Netherlands and the Government of Spain to the matter, with a view of organizing a proper naval force to put down piracy, and it was expected that an arrangement would shortly be come to between those Powers with that view. The only way in which that could be done was by means of a fleet of gunboats which had but a shallow draught of water. He believed that the officers upon the station had done their duty as far as they could to clear the seas of those pirates, but it must be remembered that the difficulties with which they had to contend had of late years very much increased. Hong Kong used to be the head-quarters of the Admiral, and from thence it was easy to send down ships of war against the pirates; but now the station had been removed to the northward, so as to take in Japan, and the coast to be overlooked by our naval force had considerably extended. Besides this, the necessity of affairs in China of late had withdrawn many of the small vessels which would otherwise have been employed in the suppression of piracy. He hoped, however, that in the course of a short time arrangements would be made in connection with the other Powers claiming property in the Archipelago, by which all difficulties would be removed, and piracy effectually suppressed.

VOLUNTEER FORCE COMMISSION.

  OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD TRUROsaid, that some time ago the Government were made aware that the funds of several corps of the Volunteer Force were not by any means in a sound state, and that unless they received some aid from Government there was little hope of those corps remaining in their present strength or condition of efficiency. Suggestions were made from time to time as to the mode in which aid might be afforded, but the Government paid little or no attention to those appeals; and at last a deputation waited on the Government, to request that a Royal Commission might inquire on the subject. A Commission had been appointed, but no Report was as yet forthcoming. He hoped it would be published before the end of the Session. There were one or two points on which they required reliable information. Certain departments of the Volunteer Force were not in proportion to the others. The Volunteer Engineer force, for instance, was not commensurate with the Rifle or Artillery regiments. He was also of opinion that the Artillery force should be trained to the practice of movable field guns, and not confined to mere garrison duty. He wished to ask the noble Lord the Under Secretary for War, whether the Report of the Commission had yet been received?
  EARL DE GREY AND RIPONsaid, that although the Royal Commission had not yet sent in their Report, he believed they would do so within the next few days, and he hoped that it would be laid before Parliament before the Session closed. The noble Lord appeared to be of opinion that there had been unnecessary delay on the part of the Government in issuing the Commission. He could assure his noble Friend that that was by no means the case. It was in March that an influential deputation waited upon the Government, and the Government promised that a Commission should issue. The selection of Members was not free from difficulty, because it was desirable that the various interests concerned should be represented, while it was also necessary that the body should not be too large for practical purposes. Some little delay was unavoidable on that account; but by the 16th of May all formalities had been gone through, and on that day the Commission was issued. The first meeting of the Commissioners was on the 21st of May, and since that date they

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  had examined fifty-one witnesses, and 1,488 circulars had been despatched to the commanding officers of Volunteer corps, and 1,212 answers had been received. It was evident, then, that the Commissioners had evinced the utmost diligence in the discharge of their duty. If, then, the Commission should report before the conclusion of the Session, it would be impossible for any one to accuse them of want of diligence, considering both the magnitude and importance of the question with which they had to deal. Whatever might be the recommendations of the Commission, the Government could not take any step without the fullest consideration. It must not be overlooked, that if the Government should come to the resolution to propose to Parliament to give to the Volunteer force additional aid, the character of that Force would be materially changed from that by which it had been originally distinguished—which was, that it cost the country nothing. With regard to the Artillery branch of the Volunteer service, they had always been treated with peculiar favour; and while it might be desirable for the sake of drill to allow them the use of 18-pounder guns of position, he did not think Volunteers could have time to give to the complicated and difficult drill required for field artillery. The Volunteers were peculiarly adapted for garrison artillery, and he was sure their desire would be to fill that position in which they would be most valuable and useful to the country.
  LORD OVERSTONEsaid, he could assure the noble Lord (Lord Truro) that the Commissioners had approached the subject with a very deep and strong sense both of the importance and delicacy of the question submitted to them, and were impressed with the importance of a speedy decision. In the course of two months they had examined a large number of witnesses, they had gathered a great deal of information, and their Report was agreed upon that day, and was only waiting for the filial signatures of the Commissioners. The inquiries of the Commissioners had strengthened their sense of the value of the force, and of the depth of the public spirit and the general union among all classes on which the movement was based. They had every reason to believe that that public feeling would remain unimpaired, and that, with a moderate assistance from the Government, any number of Volunteers needed might be enrolled. They had the
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  most satisfactory evidence, that if an emergency should arise, Volunteers might be relied upon to come forward in any numbers to accomplish still further that noble purpose for which they were originally enrolled—the maintenance of the confidence of the country in its own resources, and the exhibition to the world of a united kingdom. The services of the Volunteers in any numbers might be confidently relied on whenever the honour and interests of the country were menaced.

GRAND JURY OF THE COUNTY OF LONGFORD.

  ADDRESS FOR PAPERS.
  THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLErose to appeal to the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Leitrim) to put off a Motion of which he had given notice for returns in reference to the arming and discipline of the constabulary force in Ireland. The Notice had only been placed on the paper on the previous evening; and as the Returns could only be obtained from Ireland, he must refuse them if the noble Earl pressed his Motion at that time.
  THE EARL OF LEITRIMsaid, his object was to draw the attention of the House to resolutions of the grand juries of Longford and Roscommon, finding fault with the present organization of the constabulary force, and expressing dissatisfaction at information being withheld from the justices by the police. The noble Earl then moved,
  That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for,

  1. Copy of a Resolution adopted by the Grand Jury of the County of Longford, expressing their Opinion of the Necessity that some Change should be made with regard to the Arming and Discipline of the Police in Ireland; and all Correspondence connected with that Resolution:

  2. Copy of the Informations taken by any of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Longford against William Clarke and Patrick Clarke of the County of Longford, for the alleged Crime of soliciting to Murder:

  3. Copy of the Indictment against William Clarke and Patrick Clarke for the Charges brought against them at the late Summer Assizes:

  4. Copy of the Verdict of the Jury at the late Summer Assizes for the County of Longford in the Case of "The Crown v. William Clarke and Patrick Clarke" under such Indictment:

  5. The Amount paid to the Informant Bryan Young, alias Ross, by the Police, or by any Order of the Government, either previous to or subsequent to the above Trial:

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  6. The Total Cost of the above Trial, either in Fees of Counsel, Expenses of Police, or any other Expenditure relative to this Trial, under whatever Heads the Money may have been paid:

  7. Copy of all Correspondence connected with this Trial.

  THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLEsaid, he did not think that the Government would be doing its duty to the public if they published the mass of papers for which the noble Earl asked, merely for the purpose of supporting the vague charges which he was in the habit of making against the Irish police force.
  THE EARL OF LEITRIMconsidered that he had done his duty in bringing the subject forward, and should always, notwithstanding the imputations the noble Duke had cast upon him, bring before their Lordships any abuses that came under his notice.
  On Question, Resolved in the Negative.
  House adjourned at a quarter past Seven o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Four o'clock.