On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
hold it to bo the duty of a Secretary of State , if he has reason to think that any person , whether he be a foreigner or a British subject , is contemplating the violation of the laws , or is likely to abuse that shelter which has been granted to him by the hospitality of this country , to take steps for obtaining information of the fact ; and also to take steps for the punishment of any man—be he Englishman or other—if he violate the laws , and renders himself amenable to any of the tribunals of this country . ( Great cheering . )
Mr . Bbight very properly retorted , that Lord Paltnerston assumed that he had asked him about transactions to which M . Kossuth was a party ; but the charges that were pending were charges against Mr . Hale , and M . Kossuth was entirely outside . ( Cheers . ) M . Kossuth was nevertheless charged by a powerful Govern merit organ with a gross crime , and therefore Mr . Bright thought he was quite justified in asking the question . Mr . Cobden here struck in with great effect :
" I have yet to learn , sir , that , according to the continual practice of the House , it is not competent for any honourable member of this House to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department , in his place , questions with regard to the conduct of the judicial or magisterial authorities of the country . ( Hear , hear . ) I . know nobody responsible to this House for the proceedings of magistrates but the Secretary of State for the Home Departmen ; and certainly I have never heard this plea of constitutional rule set up before . ( Hear . ) I have heard a question put to the noble lord with regard to an unfortunate female , and I heard from the noble lord a not very grave or fitting answer in reply , but it was not said
by the Home Secretary that it was unnecessary to give explanations of the conduct of the magistrates in that case . And in this , if Commissioner Mayne sets spies before my house , instead of before M . Kossuth's — and he has as much right to set them before mine as before his—then surely there is nothing unconstitutional in an honourable member ' s rising — after giving notice , as did the honourable member for Leicester—to ask what such a proceeding meant . I think , therefore , that the answer given to my honourable friend the member for Manchester , and the noble lord ' s tauntinghimwithignorance of constitutional law , looks very much like an attempt to avoid the question . ( Hear , hear . ) But the noble lord has
not , after all , been so cautious as is his wont , for he admits that the instructions went from the Home Office . ( Cheers . ) This , then , is no ordinary case . If the police have been set to work by him to watch the house of Kossuth , or indeed of any other individual , we may reasonably presume that the noble lord has information about the individual whom he orders to be watched , such as warrants his giving those instructions ; and if the noble lord has such information , we have a right to ask him for it , and to demand to know on what grounds he takes these proceeding . ( No , no , from the Opposition . ) Do not let honourable gentlemen opposite unnecessarily approve such a course ; do not let them put themselves in the position of supporting Austrian influence
against an unfortunate refugee . If you ( addressing the Opposition ) are anxiousforoffice , youwillbequiet in this matter ¦—( laughter and cheers )—you will gain no popularity in the country by this [ hear ] . What I want to know is this , are the boastings of this country that we are different from Austria , that we are not like the French , with or without foundation ? Are they boastings , or are they realities ? If they are realities , wo do not expect that when an illustrious refugee comes for protection to our sjiores our own Government will set the police as spies before his doors [ hear , hear ] . What , I ask , has he donoP What is the information which induces tho noble lord to have those premises watched P And where did the noble lord get that information ? fchcors . ] Tho noblo lord may bo sure thfl matter will not rest hero . Ho lias Baid too much to
let it rest where it is ; and if ho will not answer now , he may be sure he will be asked again on what information ho has given his instructions to the police , whether that information turned out to be well founded , according to the subsequent inquiries , and whether he now feels justified in tho proceedings ho has adopted . " [ Cheers . ] Mr . I ' niNtf urged the same considerations . Thus pressed , Lord Pai . mkkhton again spoke . " I am sorry to trespass on tins attention of the House again , but I think thoso gentlemen who have spoken , especially tho lion , member for the West Riding , have entirely lost sight of tho question which was put to mo . I did not . shrink from answering any question put to mo with regard to my own conduct , and tho question put to mo on that subject I answered plainly and positively . But I wiw asked , in addition , what , in my opinion , would bo
tho result with respect to ono person of certain proeeedingH instituted against another . ( No , ito , and hoar . ) I declined answering that , but I said , ' Wait till this is over , and tlum tho investigation will answer itself . ' With regard to what was said by the honourable gentleman who lout spoke , and by the member for tho W « hI Riding , as to the proceedings instituted against Mr . Halo , I have only to way that those proceedings , in reference to the manufacture of rockets , are pending und will be continued . No 1 > rooe < . 'dings have been instituted against M . KoHHuth . 1 tavo brought no charge against M . Koasuth . ( Cheers . ) I havo never mentioned bin iiiuno in thin mutter . I was nuked questions for tho purpoHO of inducing mo to mention ) iin naino , but I . did not . I havo brought no charge against M . KosHuth , and am not responsible for anything that may nmx'ur in any of tho newspapers . "
Alter an energetic iittuck upon the spy Hystom by Lord Duoi / ic y Stuaht , tho mutter dropped .
TURKISH INDKPKNWKNCIC . llcplying to a request for information , preferred by Lord CiANiiiOAiUHs , Lord Ciaukndon iniulo tho
following statement respecting recent events at Constantinople : — It was from no want of a cordial understanding between her Majesty ' s Government and other Governments of Europe that he must decline giving his noble friend all the information he required * but because some o f the negotiations to which he had alluded were still pending , and although a portion might be said to be concluded , they had so intimate a bearing and relation to those which were not brought to a conclusion that it would be premature to give publicity to them . There was one point , however , with respect to which he could relieve his noble friend from some of the apprehensions which he seemed to entertain . He could assure his noble friend of the entire concurrence
of her Majesty ' s Government in the views which , he had expressed as to the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the Ottoman empire . Indeed , it was the opinion of her Majesty ' Government that there could occur no greater calamity—none more likely to lead to general European war by dislocating the ties which connected the great powers—than the dismemberment of the Turkish , empire . ( Hear , hear . ) The British Government felt itself bound , nofc only by the interests of sound policy , but by the principles of international law , to uphold that empire ; and he was happy to be able to inform their lordships , that in consequence of recent communications had with different Governments , we had received from them the most cordial and unreserved assurances that their views and policy on
this subject were in perfect harmony with ours . ( Cheers . ) Under these circumstances , he thought that Turkey had nothing to fear from external aggression ; and the danger which threatened from internal weakness , great though it might be , was not of a nature to menace the destruction of the empire , if the Sultan ' s councils should be guided by ordinary prudence , and a more humane policy be adopted towards his Christian subjects . With a view to these objects , Lord Stratford had been Instructed to return to his post in Constantinople in a special character , and it was thought that , in consequence of his great authority and long experience in Turkish affairs , there was no man who stood in so favourable a position for offering advice to the Sultanand none from whom advice was as likely to Hbe
, favourably received . As regarded Montenegro , it was well known , as stated by his noble friend , that extensive warlike operations had been carried on by Turkey in that territory . These operations were thought inadvisable by Her Majesty ' s late Government , and that opinion was shared by Her Majesty ' s present Government . Her Majesty ' s Charge d'Affaires at Constantinople was instructed by lord Derby ' s Government to represent to the Porte that the expedition to Montenegro was likely to prove prejudicial to the State by draining its resources . Those instructions were repeated by Lord J . Russell , but nevertheless the expeditiou was sent ; and the arrival of so large a military force in Montenegro , caused alarm to the Austrian Government . The Austrian Government fully admitted
the dependence of Montenegro on Turkey , although it had been in the undisturbed and almost unquestioned enjoyment of independence for nearly a century . The presence of a large Turkish force in her neighbourhood excited alarm in Austria , and rendered it necessary for her to concentrate an army on the frontiers to prevent refugees from passing , and to guard against the excesses which might be expected to arise from a religious and fanatical war between Mussulmans and Christians . In consequence of the existence of this state of things , the Austrian Government sent Prince Leiningen to Constantinople . Lord John Russell thereupon addressed a communication to tho Austrian Government , deprecating the use of threatening laneuaere , or the adoption of any course calculated to lead to
hostilities between the two States . This communication was responded to in the most friendly spirit by the Austrian Government , which declared that it had no desire to interrupt the relations of amity existing between it and Turkey . His noble friend referred to what he conceived to be other causes of complaint against tho Austrian Government with reference to refugees ; but , having fully inquired into all these subjects , he ( tho Earl of Clarendon ) must say , it did not appear to him that Austria had infringed any principle of international law , or dono anything inconHistent with what was duo from ono friendly government to another . His noble friend had inverted tho actual course of events , when ho said , that after the Montenegrin question was settled , a fresh question arose in eonnoxion with tho French Government . The fact was ,
that tho latter question occurred first in order of time . The Turkish Government having no immediate concern in tho matter , and being desirous of pleasing two parties , had—as often happened in such cases—succeeded in satisfying neither . Tho Porte made certain concessions respecting tho holy shrines , which tho Emporor of Russia thought inconsistent with concessions previously made to him , and , knowing tho great interest which tho members of tho Greek church in tho East took in this question , and regarding his own position in roforonco to that church , determined to send Princo Menschikoff on a special mission to tho Porto , with a viow to placing tho question of the holy shrines on a permanent footing . It was not for him to say that tho Emperor of Russia was to blamo for not making hit * intentions known to all tho world , or not
publishing accounts of tho progress of his envoy ' s negotiations . Certainly considerable naval and military preparations were going on at tho timo Princo Monschikonwent to Constantinople , but they wore greatly exaggerated by public rumour . The Emperor of Russia had practised no disguise whatever as to his intentions , and he , ( tho Earl of Clarendon ) was prepared to answer any question on tho Hiibject that could prudently bo proposed . Her Majesty ' s ( itovornment felt precisely tho sumo confidence which his noblo friend professed to cntertuin in tho honour and integrity of tho Ernporor of Russia , and when that Sovereign gave his word as to what ho was going to do , and what no was not going to do , ho believed that tho people of this country , as well as their Government , would placo full reliance ou it . It wao porfoctly true that , after Prince
MenschikofFs arrival at Constantinople , Colonel Rose ' thought it right to advise Admiral Dundas to proceed with his fleet to the Dardanelles . Admiral Dundas , however , did not think it right to comply with this suggestion , and her Majesty s Government _ thought that , in this respect , he exercised a sound discretion .. On , the other hand , it was not unnatural that Colonel Rose , not being cognizant of the information possessed by her Majesty ' s Government , should participate in the alarm which was , in the first instance , caused by Prince Menschikoff's arrival . . Colonel Rose , also , had reason to believe 1 that Admiral Dundas was actually on the point of sailing : towards the East , and therefore thought that in hastening ; that result he was only fulfilling the intentions of hi *
Government . The French Government on that occasion , thought it right to send their fleet towards the east , but he could assure their lordships that that proceeding neither originated in nor had led to any misunderstanding betweenthe French Government and her Majesty ' s Government ,, but that both Governments were acting in entire concurrence as regarded Eastern affairs . Some exaggerated reports of passing events had been circulated within the last few days which were calculated to- excite alarm ; but their lordships would be pleased to hear that the Government received a despatch f rom Lord Stratford , dated th& day after his arrival at Constantinople , stating that he had would
every reason to expect that the pending questions be brought to a satisfactory conclusion ; and another desp atch was received yesterday , stating that on the 14 tbr mst . all was quiet at Constantinople . Having now given all the information which he thought it would be prudent to communicate , he would conclude by assuring their lordships that , as regarded Turkey , there was no danger of the < peace of Europe being disturbed , nor any prospect of theunanimity which prevailed between this country and the other great powers of Europe , as to the necessity of maintaining the integrity and independence of the Ottomaa empire , being interrupted . "
AN" AMEBICAN PLAN FOB IMPEOVING THE AET OF NAVIGATION . Lord Weottesley called the attention of the House to a correspondence between the United States Government , her Majesty ' s Government , and the Royal Society in reference to a comprehensive scheme for improving ' the art of navigation , in which the United States Government have requested the co-operation of her Majesty ' s Government . The proposal , if adopted ,, would increase our stock of scientific data , especially in the subjects of meteorology and hydrography , to an extent which could hardly be over-estimated . The Government of the United States were desirous of
procuring the co-operation of the principal maritime nations in carrying it into practice , and particularly " this country . The proposition having been made to > this country , it was submitted to the Royal Society to * report upon its merits , and that learned body spoke of the scheme in the highest terms , and earnestly recommended its adoption . It had also received the sanction and approval of the British Association for the Advancement of Science . He then described the plan . lieutenant Maury , the conductor of the Observatory at Washington , first conceived the idea of requiring all masters of American vessels to enter in their log-books ,, in addition to the ordinary subjects , records of all phenomena observed at sea , which could be rendered available for the improvement of hydrography and navigation , and
generally for the advancement of science . The plan was that the log-books containing those records should ! all be sent to the Observatory at Washington , and that the data so furnishedjshould be collected and reduced , and employed in the construction of new and improved charts at the expense of the Government , and supplied tomasters of vessels gratuitously in return for tho material * so furnished . In that way ' Lieutenant Maury had , ini 1848 , from a number of old naval books , been enabled todoviso a now and improved routo to Rio from tho Unite * States , by which tho distance between tho two had beent shortened to tho extent of 700 miles . There were mow more than a thousand masters of American ships engaged in collecting data of the kind ho bad mentioned . Thee latest facts had been published up to November , 1851 . and tho lm
Ho explained the now routo to ltio , manner which tho distance was saved . It appeared that tho old practice was for vessels to go as far east as 19 degrees oft west longitude , in order to avoid nn unfavourable current which set in on a part of tho coast of South America . That current was really of no importance , and it had boon found that instead of crossing tho lino in tho 10 th degroo of west longitude it was possible to cross in tho 31 st degree ' of west longitude , by which 7 ( X ) miles were saved . When , tho observations were multiplied tho chances of success wore greater , and Lieutenant Maury was anxious to obtain a hundred observations per month for each square of the ocean . A separate compass was constructed for evory month on each particular square * of tho ocean , and when tho charts of twolvo months wore constructed thoy woro
all combined in one chart , specimens of which he had brought down for inspection , , It was considered that a hundred observations per month for each square were necessary , and that they ought not to bo satisfied with less . Uotweon the two Capes—tho southern point of Africa and tho southern point of America—there is a part of tho ocean that is scarcely evor frequented by ships , because there is a highway on tho ocean aa well as on tho land , and tho part to which he had roturred was scarcely over frequented except by vessels that wero sent there for surveying purposes . lie must confess that ho thought those blanks wero a reproach to tho present stato of civilization ; it was their boundun duty to make themsolvos acquainted with overy part of tho globo thoy inhabited , and ho boliovcd it wus only right that the maritimo nation / 3 should
Untitled Article
4 X 4 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), April 30, 1853, page 414, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1984/page/6/
-