Sitting of 21 March 1857

MINUTE.
NEW MEMBER SWORN.—For Tipperary, Daniel O'Donoghoe, esq.
THE RETAIL SPIRIT TRADE.

  QUESTION.
  In reply to Mr. OLIVEIRA,
  THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that the propriety of granting to wine and spirit merchants who were not licensed victuallers, permission to sell a less quantity of spirits than two gallons, had for some time been under consideration by the Government, but there were difficulties in the way of such an alteration of the law which had not yet been overcome.

  THE KRUGEL COLLECTION—RETURNS.
  MR. VERNON HARCOURTsaid, he wished to call the attention of the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a Return which had been presented to the House with respect to the purchase of the Krugel Collection of Pictures for the National Gallery, but which did not clearly and accurately show the cost of that collection, and the amount realized by the sale of pictures not thought deserving of exhibition. He hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would take care that in future Returns were made out in a more intelligible form.

  NAPLES—QUESTION.
  MR. T. DUNCOMBE: Will the noble Viscount at the head of the Government permit me to ask him whether, since the withdrawal of the legations of France and England from Naples, any overtures have been made by the King of Naples to the British and French Governments for the return of those embassies; and, if so, whether those overtures are likely to be acceptable to the two Governments? I ask this in consequence of the appearance in The Times of this morning of a statement, that an envoy has gone from Paris with a view of settling the differences which exist between the Neapolitan Government, and those of England and France.
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: Sir, no overtures, properly so called, have been received by the British and French Governments from the King of Naples since the discontinuance of diplomatic relations. An indirect intimation has, however, reached us that the Neapolitan Government was anxious to know whether, if the King of Naples were to carry into execution the convention made with the Argentine Confederation, under which the political prisoners now retained in the prisons of Naples were to be banished to the Argentine Republic, that would be considered by the two Governments as a substantial beginning of that more moderate system of government which we wished to see established at Naples. Speaking only for the British Government, we do not think that clearing the prisons of Naples by sending the prisoners into banishment in South America, with the intention, no doubt, of replenishing those prisons by means of fresh arrests, would be such a change of system as could be considered
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  by us as accomplishing the purposes for which diplomatic relations with that country were broken off.

TREATY WITH MOROCCO.

  QUESTION.
  COLONEL WILSON PATTENsaid, he would beg to ask the noble Lord at the head of the Government whether it was true that our Minister at Tangier had concluded a treaty with the Sultan of Morocco by which great facilities were secured for British and European commerce throughout the dominions of that potentate; and, if so, whether there was any objection to making public the provisions of that treaty?
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: Sir, the answer to my hon. Friend's question will best be given if you, Sir, will permit me to go to the bar, and will have the kindness to call upon me when I am there.
  The noble VISCOUNT then went to the bar, and, having been called upon by Mr. Speaker, presented to the House the treaty which had been referred to, and which was ordered to lie upon the table.

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH TO INDIA.

  QUESTION.
  MR. BOWYERsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government had any estimate of the number of troops which would be required to protect the line of telegraph from Seleucia to Bassorah, and who was to pay for the maintenance of such troops; also, whether Her Majesty's Government had any estimate of the amount of subsidies which must be given to the Arab tribes to forbear from injuring or interfering with the telegraph?
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that the protection of the line of telegraph in the Turkish dominions was part of the general system of police which the Turkish Government would establish in that portion of the empire of the Sultan. He had no reason to suppose that proper precautions would not be taken for the security of the telegraph.
  THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, in answer to the second question of the hon. Member, he had to state, that all that the Government had done was, in certain contingencies, to guarantee to the Company which had undertaken to establish this telegraphic communication

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  certain payments. It was in no respect answerable for the construction of the telegraph or for its protection from Arabs. Those matters were entirely the affairs of the Company.

CAPTAIN WOOD.

  CORRESPONDENCE MOVED FOR.
  CAPTAIN ARCHDALL,who had previously presented a petition from Captain Wood, late paymaster of the depot battalion at Winchester, complaining that he had been called upon, with the assistance of only one clerk, to discharge duties, in the performance of which two paymasters and seven clerks had afterwards been engaged, and had thus been compelled to resign, thereby losing his chance of an additional pension of 2s. a day said, he would now beg to move for the production of copies of the correspondence which had taken place between Captain Wood and the War Department from the date of his appointment to the present time.
  Motion made, and Question proposed—
  "That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That She will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House, Copies of all Correspondence which has taken place between Captain Wood, late Paymaster of the Depot Battalion at Winchester, and the War Department, from the date of his appointment to that situation to the present time.''
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that the Order if made would, owing to the dissolution of Parliament, be of no value.
  Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

THE CHINESE EXPEDITION.

  QUESTION.
  SIR DE LACY EVANSsaid, he would beg to inquire of the noble Lord at the head of the Government what number of marines were to be sent with the expedition to China? It was desirable that the marines should bear a large proportion to the soldiers of the line, as they were peculiarly well adapted for the operations which
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  would have to be undertaken by the expedition.
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that the number of soldiers of the line and of marines engaged in the service was a matter which was still under the consideration of the Government, and he could give no positive information upon the subject.

  THE SOLDIERS' FAMILIES AT COL CHESTER—QUESTION.
  SIR DE LACY EVANSsaid, he would also beg to ask whether any steps had been taken to relieve the destitution of the wives and children of the soldiers who were quartered in the camp at Colchester?
  VISCOUNT PALMERSTON,in reply, said, that he was quite sure that his noble Friend at the head of the War Department had every disposition to make all practical arrangements for the relief of the distress.

  PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
  Message to attend the LORDS' COMMISSIONERS. The House went, and the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills; and afterwards a Speech of the LORDS' COMMISSIONERS was delivered to both Houses by the LORD CHANCELLOR.
  Then a Commission for Proroguing the Parliament was read.
  After which
  THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid:—
  MY LORDS, AND GENTLEMEN,
  By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the 30th day of April next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the 30th day of April next.

MINUTES.
ROYAL ASSENT.—Mr. Speaker's Retirement; Exchequer Bills (£21,049,700); Consolidated Fund (Appropriation); Commons Inclosure; Commissioners of Supply (Scotland) Act, 1856, Amendment; Income Tax; Indemnity; Copyhold, &c. Commission Continuance; Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction; Lighting of Towns (Ireland) Act Amendment; Customs' Duties; Racehorse Duty Act Amendment; Pauper Maintenance; Extra Parochial Places; Mutiny; Marine Mutiny.

PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT— SPEECH OF THE LORDS COMMIS SIONERS.
The PARLIAMENTwas this day prorogued by Commission.
THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS, namely, the Lord Chancellor (Lord CRANWORTH), the Lord President of the Council (Earl GRANVILLE), the Lord Privy Seal (the Earl of HARROWBY), the Lord Chamberlain of the Household (the Marquess of BREADALBANE), and Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY (President of the Board of Trade), being seated at the foot of the Throne, and the COMMONS, preceded by their Speaker, being present, the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR,on behalf of the LORDS COMMISSIONERS, then delivered the following Speech:—
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,"
WE are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you, that in releasing you at this early Period from your Attendance in Parliament it is Her Majesty's Intention immediately to dissolve the present Parliament, in order to ascertain in the most constitutional Manner the Sense of Her People upon the present State of Public Affairs.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"WE are commanded by Her Majesty to thank you for the liberal Provision which you have made for the Exigencies of the Public Service during the Period that will elapse before the new Parliament, which Her Majesty will direct immediately to be called, shall have been able to give its deliberate Attention to these Matters.
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,"
"WE are commanded by Her Majesty to express the Satisfaction which She feels at your having been able, during the present Session, materially to reduce the Burthens of Her People.
"HER MAJESTY commands us to as
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sure you, that it is Her fervent Prayer, that the several Constituencies of the United Kingdom, upon whom will devolve the Exercise of those high Functions which by the Constitution belong to them, may be guided by an All-wise Providence to the Selection of Representatives whose Wisdom and Patriotism may aid Her Majesty in Her constant Endeavours to maintain the Honour and Dignity of Her Crown, and to promote the Welfare and Happiness of Her People."
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
"MY LORDS, AND GENTLEMEN,"
"By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the Thirtieth Day of April next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the Thirtieth Day of April next."