works in England, £1,500 only were to be voted for carrying out a similar object in Ireland. That he (Mr. Maguire) regarded as a policy unjust towards the sister country, and dangerous to the public service. The result of that neglect had been, that one of the finest harbours of refuge-Queenstown-which the united kingdom could boast, had been turned to no account whatever, notwithstanding that Admiral G. Sartorius had given it as his opinion that it was highly expedient that both a naval station and a dockyard should be established in that quarter, instead of having them all in a cluster, when an enemy may sweep down upon them in a night. The right hon. Baronet the Member for Carlisle could bear testimony to the advantages which it possessed; for, while engaged during his official visit to the south of Ireland in 1853-in laying the foundation stone of the Admiralty pier at Queenstown, one of the largest vessels in the empire had entered the harbour at low water. He should, for those reasons, strongly urge upon the First Lord of the Admiralty the propriety of directing his attention to the subject of converting Queenstown into a harbour of refuge. At present, in case of vessels being driven by distress into this harbour, there were no means of assisting them at the command of the Government; the steam-tugs belonging to the merchant service were employed, and it was often a mercy that the vessels were not lost.

MR. BOOKER-BLAKEMORE drew attention to the necessity of making a survey, and taking precautions to protect the commerce, which had so much increased, on the coast of South Wales.

SIR CHARLES WOOD said, that it was proposed to employ convict labour to a considerable extent at Chatham. A convict prison had been built near the outer wall of the dockyard, and a great deal of work in stacking timber was about to be done by the convicts. Sheerness was situated in such an inconvenient position that he was disinclined to expend money in works there, but a great deal had been spent, and it was necessary to be able to fit and repair vessels that came in there. Some heavy expenses were necessary at Chatham, and he hoped to be able to construct there, as at Portsmouth, places in which the gun-boats could be brought up. Almost the whole of the expenditure for Pembroke was a re-vote, as it was found impossible to execute the works within the year. It

was found necessary to widen the dock there to admit the larger vessels now built. The Votes for Keyham were for the most part in execution of the designs already approved. He hoped to provide a place there where the gun-boats might be drawn up, and also to erect barracks for the sailors. With regard to the foundry at Bull Point, that was established in consequence of an understanding when the foundry at Keyham was given up. The Vote for the breakwater at Plymouth was a supplementary estimate. It was found that the force of the waves was so great that the largest stones were lifted and thrown over the breakwater, and it was therefore necessary to alter the construction. The amount already voted was £26,000, the Vote now required was £13,000, and the further estimate to complete the work was £36,000, making a total of £75,000. With regard to the proposal about Queenstown, the works now in progress in the existing dockyards required so large a sum that until they were completed he could not hold out any hopes of undertaking large works in Queenstown harbour. With respect to the suggestion of the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Blakemore) it was intended that one of the coastguard vessels should remain in the Bristol Channel, but lying there was found to be so dangerous that the vessel was ordered to Milford Haven.

SIR JAMES GRAHAM regretted the reduction of the marines from 16,000 to 15,000, as he thought that it was of the last importance that we should maintain, at least, the present establishment of marines. He was of opinion that in time of peace the marines should form the larger portion, if not almost the whole of the garrisons of some of the outports, such as Devonport, Portsmouth, Chatham, and Woolwich. But it was impossible to regard them in this light as apart from the army; and he thought it quite possible that some arrangement could be made with the Minister at War, so that the barracks hitherto occupied by the army at Devonport, Portsmouth, &c. should be given up to the marines. It appeared, however, that a very large Vote was taken for new barracks for the marines, both at Devonport and Portsmouth, and, he believed, at Woolwich, while in the Army Estimates there was also an outlay for additional barracks for the army.

SIR CHARLES WOOD said, that the marines had very good and extensive barracks at Woolwich, and it was not pro

the retiring pension was to be larger than the original salary.

MR. J. D. FITZGERALD said the increase was owing to the augmentation that must be made in the salaries of the Judges for having additional duties thrown upon them. The augmentation would amount to about £1,600 a year.

MR. MACARTNEY thought it would be much better if the right hon. Gentleman had candidly announced the salaries that were to be paid under the new Bill. It would appear that Mr. Hatchell, a hale, stout gentleman, who was at present at the head of the Insolvent Court, was to retire upon his full salary of £1846 a year. Well, it would have been much fairer to have let that out at once. The better plan would be to refer the Bill to a select Committee to determine whether the junction of the two courts was advisable.

MR. J. D. FITZGERALD denied that there had been any want of candour on his part, for the Bill had been before the public, and in the hands of hon. Gentlemen for nearly two years; and there was not a salary or retiring pension to be granted the full particulars of which were not detailed in the Bill. He also said, that the duties of two existing Judges would in future be discharged by one Judge, whose salary was to be raised from £1,500 to £2,000, on account of the additional work to be thrown upon him. The temporary increase of charge would be nothing like a moiety of the permanent saving.

MR. BUTT confessed he could not see the saving in giving £1,000 a year to two Commissioners of bankruptcy for doing the work which one man was paid £1,800 a year for not doing.

In reply to Mr. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD, MR. J. D. FITZGERALD said, there would be no increase on the present charge arising out of retiring pensions, because no officer retiring would get more than he had at present; but, in respect to the continued officers, namely, the Judges of the Bankruptcy Court and the officials of the Insolvent Debtor's Court transferred to it, there would be some increase of salary.

MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD wanted to know what would be the total increase of charge in respect to those Courts, including compensations for the abolition of offices, increase of salaries, and retiring allowances.

MR. J. D. FITZGERALD said, the

total increase of charge would be from £1,500 to £1,600 a year, including retiring allowances and all.

MR. MACARTNEY reminded the Attorney General for Ireland that there were eight officers under the present system, but there would be thirteen under the new

one.

Resolutions agreed to. House resumed.

THE CASE OF CAPTAIN WOOD.

CORRESPONDENCE MOVED FOR. CAPTAIN ARCHDALL moved an address for copies of all correspondence between Captain Wood, late Paymaster of the Battalion Depôt at Winchester, and the War Department, relating to office accommodation at Winchester, additional assistants, and resignation of the situation of paymaster; and, of a memorial dated the 3rd day of January, 1856, presented by Captain Wood to the Minister of War, the reply thereto, and of all correspondence consequent upon and relating to the said memorial and its contents.

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 late Paymaster of the Battalion Depôt at Winof all Correspondence between Captain Wood, chester, and the War Department, relating to Office Accommodation at Winchester, Additional Assistants, and resignation of the situation of Paymaster:

66 And, of a Memorial dated the 3rd day of January, 1856, presented by Captain Wood to the Minister of War, the reply thereto, and of all Correspondence consequent upon and relating to the said Memorial and its contents."

SIR JOHN RAMSDEN said, the correspondence in question was purely of a departmental character, and it was his duty, on behalf of the Government to oppose its production. The case was only one of a great number of similar claims, which were always disposed of under a well-known and established regulation, and the Government were averse to make an exception to that regulation. The matter had been reconsidered carefully, but there was no reason for altering the decision already come to. It would be dangerous to the service to accede to the Motion.

CAPTAIN ARCHDALL said, he had moved for the correspondence on public grounds, as well as in consideration of the hardship inflicted on Captain Wood, and he trusted, that in justice to (an old officer, the House would not consider the ground

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: I hope the House will not agree to the Motion of the hon. and gallant Officer; and I warn them that if they commence revising the decision of the War Office upon the claims of individual officers they will embark upon a sea of troubles to an extent of which, I am sure, they can have no conception. One great department of the War Office is daily and constantly employed in considering these personal claims. It forms an immense mass of business, and if the House of Commons erects itself into a tribunal of appeal against decisions of the Secretary for War upon claims of paymasters and regimental officers, I can assure the House that a large mass of matter will have to be printed which nobody will ever read. I hope, therefore, the House will not encourage these Motions.

COLONEL BOLDERO advised his hon. and gallant Friend to withdraw his Motion, but at the same time regretted that while in the Bill, which had just occupied their attention, a pension of £1,800 was about to be given to a civilian after merely four years' service, even half-pay was grudged to a military gentleman who had served his country for upwards of forty years. Question put, and negatived.

SIR JOHN RAMSDEN opposed the Motion, on the ground that the reports were of a confidential character, in which consisted their entire value.

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY was in the hands of the House, and would certainly persevere in his Motion if any disposition were shown for a division.

SIR WILLIAM CODRINGTON approved the reason given by Sir J. Ramsden against the production of the reports.

MR. P. O'BRIEN recommended the withdrawal of the Motion, as he did not think that the House was competent to decide upon military questions. Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

MR. WILSON hoped the House would not agree to the printing of the Petition unless the hon. Gentleman intended to found a Motion upon it. Such was the rule.

MR. KINNAIRD said, several hon. Gentlemen had asked him for a copy of the petition, in order that they might thoroughly understand the subject, which it was his intention to bring before the House on a future occasion, and of which he had already given notice. That was the reason that he moved the printing of the Petition.

MR. HENLEY said, the Petition was represented to be as large as a pamphlet, and perhaps that was the reason that there might be a desire to have it printed at the expense of the House. Unless the hon. Gentleman opposite meant to bring forward a Motion on the subject, he would oppose the printing of the Petition, and he hoped the Government would adhere to the rule they had laid down, and not consent to the Motion.

MR. KINNAIRD said, the Petition was certainly long, for it included grievances which were brought under the notice of Parliament by a number of missionaries of all denominations assembled at Calcutta. He had already given notice of his intention to call the attention of the House to the allegations of the Petition on the 28th instant.

Motion agreed to.

Petition of Protestant Missionaries residing in and near Calcutta, in the Presidency of Bengal [presented 20th February] to be printed.

BLEACHING AND DYEING WORKS. .

NOMINATION OF COMMITTEE. MR. BUTT nominated the Select Com.. mittee on Bleaching and Dyeing Works.

Committee nominated-Mr. BUTT, Lord JOHN MANNERS, Viscount GODERICH, Mr. KIRK, Mr. BAXTER, Mr. MASSEY, Mr. FERGUS, Mr. CLARK, Mr. CHEETHAM, Lord NAAS, Mr. COBBETT, Mr. WISE, Mr. TURNER, Mr. A. ADDERLEY, and Mr. Moore.

On Mr. ADDERLEY's name being proposed,

MR. CAIRNS said, he thought that the Irish interest was not fairly represented on the Committee, he should therefore move the omission of Mr. Adderley's name, with the view of substituting that of Mr. Davi

son.