POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY Mawr.
The business in Parliament last night was of a more varied character than in any night of the session. We can only catalogue the several topics.
Sir ROBERT PEEL introduced his Corn-importation Bill. The new scales, he said, would come into effect as soon as the bill was passed into law ; and the new mode of taking the averages would have effect six weeks afterwards. After some conversation, the second reading was fixed for Monday next, if the discussion on it could be commenced at a sufficiently early hour ; if not, for Wednesday next.
Sir Robert announced that his statement as to the financial and com- mercial measures of Government would be made on Friday next.
In the course of the conversation, Mr. COBDEN met the charges that he understood to have been brought against him by Mr. Ferrand, with state- ments of fact that he had procured from the country. He employs 600 men ; of whom 20, who would otherwise be out of work, are employed at night, but they do not work in the day-time. Mr. Cobden declared that the kind of labour at print-works is totally unlike that at cotton-mills • and altogether, he triumphantly proved himself to be free from every charge of oppressive conduct. Mr. FERRAND declared that he had made no charge against Mr. Cobden ; but he reiterated the charge of persisting in the truck system against some members of the Anti- Corn-law League. Mr. VILLIERS read a document signed by several of that body, indignantly repelling the accusation.
Sir VALENTINE BLARE gave notice, that he should move, on Tuesday, that in consequence of the distress, foreign corn should be admitted free of duty until the 1st January 1843. And Sir ROBERT PEEL pro- duced a return from the American Consul at Liverpool, of the arrival of American vessels at that port laden with corn and flour.
The remainder of the evening, in the House of Commons, was occupied with the Navy Estimates, which were brought forward by Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT. He explained that the present number of men would be re- tained, but that a reduction would take place in the number of ships ; for in future no vessel would leave port without having on board its full complement of men. Sir Cameras NAPIER warmly approved of that determination ; but, with many objections on the physical inefficiency of old Admirals, (and there is none, he said, who could go to sea without a nurse—the Rear-Admirals being almost as bad,) he urged the ne- cessity of a more comprehensive promotion ; and recommended a pen- sioning off of old Captains. The debate on the technical part of the subject was carried on by several naval officers. On the vote for the Board of Admiralty, Sir CHARLES NAPIER objected to the construction of the Board ; and proposed that an Admiral should be put at the head of the Navy, in place of a civilian, and a Vice-Admiral over the doqkyards. Lord Howien, (who took his seat in the House on Wednesday,) draw- ing his experience from the mismanagement of the Army for the last thirty-five years, argued in favour of retaining a civilian at the head of the Navy ; an opinion which was eagerly combated by professional Members. Eventually all the votes proposed were agreed to.
During the debate, in reply to a:question from Lord INGESTRE, respect- ing a renewal of the Expedition to the Niger, Lord STANLEY declared that no White sailors would be employed in that service ; but that per- haps a vessel navigated by Negroes, with whose constitution the climate had never been found to disagree, might make occasional ascents of that river with advantage to the objects originally contemplated.
In the course of the debate, also, the case of Mr. Elton, (a mid- shipman, whose dismissal from the service has lately been a topic in
most of the newspapers, though an accident occasioned its omission in our columns at the proper time,) came in question. Captain Rous stated the facts— Mr. Elton, at the social board, [in the Mediterranean fleet,] asked Captain Williams for a boat to take a friend to another ship. This would have been a common thing enough among friends; but, considering the relative positions of Mr. Elton and Captain Williams, the case was different. Captain Williams returned no answer to the request. Mr. Elton considered this an insult, and challenged Captain Williams. Be was strongly advised to offer an apology ; and a form of apology was drawn up, which was approved by a distinguished officer. Be refused at first, but afterwards assented. The apology, however, was deemed to come too late; and a Court-martial sentenced him to be dis- missed the service. It was known that the midshipmen of the fleet were about to get up a jubilee in honour of Mr. Elton ; and to avoid that scandal, he was further sentenced to six months' imprisonment. On the voyage home, over- hearing some remarks, he called the Captain who brought him, on his own quarter-deck, "a liar." Yet the Admiralty remitted five months of that per- son's imprisonment.
Sir GEORGE COCKBURN said that the Admiralty thought the original sentence severe, and it was determined not to imprison Mr. Elton. His improper conduct to the Captain of the Hastings altered that determi- nation; but he sent an apology to that officer, who begged his release as a personal favour ; and it was granted.
The CHANCELLOR of the Excanouna brought in his bill to appoint the Exchequer Bills Commission.
In the House of Lords, Lord MONTEAGLE moved for a Select Com- mittee to inquire whether there had been any neglect or violation of the established usage of the Exchequer, which either produced or facilitated forgery or other fraud ; and he prefaced his speech with a long excul- patory statement. Lord BROUGHAM pronounced that exculpation to be triumphant ; but, in turn, he exculpated Sir John Newport from some neglect unintentionally implied in Lord Monteagle's apology. For in- stance, Lord Monteagle said that Sir John signed Exchequer Bills away from the office : now he thus signed none but deficiency bills, which are only payable to the order of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, and are for very large sums, 1,000/. and up- wards : Lord Monteagle signed supply bills, for 100/. to 10,0001., pay- able to bearer. The risk, indeed, in the latter case was small, as the bills were dated for the day of issue, and, although signed, could not be used till then. The Duke of WELLINGTON acquitted both Sir John New- port and Lord Monteagle of all blame. He suggested, that instead of in- quiry by a Committee, an amendment in Mr. Goulburn's bill might extend the inquiry of the Commission to the point desired by Lord Mont- eagle ; and the latter withdrew his motion on that understanding. The Duke recognized the existence of a number of innocent holders, and said that Government were prepared by inquiry to do justice between innocent and guilty parties.
Lord CLARENDON having put some questions about the contemplated Spanish revolution, Lord ABERDEEN said, that it was so managed as to procure its own frustration, for the Spanish Government knew of all its ramifications. The French Government gave assurances of preserving neutrality ; and Lord Aberdeen told Lord Clarendon that he might rely upon it that our own Government "would do every thing to assist the present Spanish Government in resisting any attacks that might be made upon it."
Lord BROUGHAM called attention to the disproportionately small pen- sions allotted to the daughters of Sir Robert Kennedy, who, after all his laborious services as Commissary-General, and with all the oppor- tunities of making a fortune, died in poverty. The Duke of WELLING- TON thanked Lord Brougham for the hint : Sir Robert had served in the most arduous situations, and had accounted for not less than fifty- four or fifty-five millions sterling, to the satisfaction of the Treasury ; and the Duke would take the matter into consideration,
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