CHATTERTON: I did nothing of the kind.] He had not stated the hon. and gallant Gentleman had done so, but that such things were constantly done. This vessel, so far from having been untried, had served, not only at Woolwich, but at Portsmouth. It was, indeed, very easy to make those general and sweeping allegations, but not at all so easy to prove them. The Admiralty had been found fault with for embarking troops in the Megara, alleging that she was not a sound vessel; but the fact was, the Megara was a properly selected and most efficient vessel, and had weathered a very severe gale of wind, notwithstanding the statements of a gallant Admiral, who had made himself conspicuous by his letters in the newspapers, and who alleged that the Megara had broken down. He fully believed that the result of an inquiry would be the entire confirmation of the statements of his right hon. Friend (Sir F. Baring). All these questions the Admiralty were perfectly ready to meet, and he was satisfied it would come out in Committee, that everything had been done which ought to have been done in every case mentioned. For his own part he was obliged to the hon. Member (Sir W. Jolliffe) for having brought the subject forward. ing more like horses' than anything else, being into that second contract? The Admi- MR. MILES said, he was not a little astonished at the speech of the gallant Admiral who had just sat down. He (Mr. Miles) regretted that the case of the Apollo and Megara had been introduced into the discussion, and hoped the Committee would not inquire into them. The question was, whether or not a proper supervision had taken place over the supply of meat to the Navy-not the preserved meats of Goldner's merely, but the salt meat also. The right hon. Baronet (Sir F. Baring) had spoken of the system of preservation as not perfect; but they did not want to inquire whether the system was perfect or not, but how it was that abominable and excrementitious matter had come to be mixed up with the meat? He had received a letter from a naval officer, who stated the result of his own experience with regard to the supplies of provisions to the Navy. In quoting passages from that letter, he must beg to be excused for not giving either the name of the ship or "In the first place the quantity condemned to be the name of the officer, who thus wrote-returned into store for the benefit of the Crown, or to be thrown overboard, is very great. In the "The preserved meats (Goldner's patent) are second place, there is a great loss of weight in now being done away with; but it was truly dis- boiling; the meat is cut into four-pound pieces, gusting to see the contents of some of the tins; including bone, before boiling, and the averago the offal, in some cases, with the dung inside, look-weight has been about 11lb. after, hardly ever 21b.; Admiral Berkeley The beef condemned was repacked and examined in January, 1849. The cause of decay seemed to be from the great quantity of blood left in the meat. The worst meat for losing weight was supplied to Government in Oct., 1847, or rather, I say, packed at that time; the pork was examined in January, 1850.” This statement showed the necessity for a strict inquiry being instituted into the whole subject, for it was not only on shipboard that these provisions were being given, but the colonial service was affected by it; and he trusted the inquiry to be instituted would be full and searching-that it would extend to ascertaining, not only what had been the nature of the supplies to our fleet, but to the expeditions which had been sent to the Arctic regions-Sir John Franklin's, for instance. MR. CORRY said, that having been connected with the Admiralty at the time the provisions were supplied to Sir John Franklin's expedition in 1845, he felt bound to remove the impression which appeared to be entertained, that the crews of the Arctic vessels were suffering from the improper food supplied by Mr. Goldner. In 1845 preserved meat was not issued as an article of food, but as one of medical comfort. At that time so excellent were these provisions that not more than one per cent of them had been found to be bad, while in the best qualities of Irish salt meat it amounted to from two to three per cent; so that in point of fact, there was then greater safety in the potted meat than in the ordinary salt provisions. The medical comforts of the crew were, however, most carefully looked to. The ordinary preserved meat for the use of the Navy was supplied to the Admiralty at the price of 5d. per lb. Being, however, anxious that the crews of this expedition should be furnished with meat of the best possible character, a separate and special contract was en tered into by the Admiralty with Mr. Goldtion of meat, at prices ranging from 8d. to ner, for supply of the very best descrip1s. per lb. He thought that this explanation would tend in some measure to allay the anxiety which was naturally felt on the subject of the provisions supplied to the Arctic Expedition. It was also well known that meat in the cold latitudes of the Arctic regions was not liable to decay; and in confirmation of the safety of supplying provisions of the kind, he might state that of 35,000 cases supplied to Captain Austin's expedition, only eighteen were found to be faulty. Some of the meat had been returned into store, and recent examinations had tended to confirm the opinion upon the subject. On all these grounds, therefore, he thought the public might safely conclude that the safety of Sir John Franklin and his crew would be in no degree perilled by the nature of the provisions which they took with them. CAPTAIN SCOBELL rejoiced that this subject had been brought before the House. He had listened with much attention to what had said on both sides, and it struck him that if Gentlemen on the other side of the House (the Opposition) were to have their Committee, they were giving evidence before the Committee sat. The Committec would hear evidence on all sides, whereas those hon. Gentlemen were only making statements and reading letters which they had received from parties interested on one side of the question. No doubt those who now administered the affairs of the Navy would be able in Committee to answer all the points which hon. Gentlemen were now prematurely bringing forward. He had belonged to the Navy before the discovery of the art of preserving meats, and he was not sorry for it; but they had brought that meat into consumption in the Navy, and it was his opinion that unless the system of supply was much amended, it was not likely to be finally approved of. COLONEL SIBTHORP said, he was not at all surprised at the Government preferring a Hungarian Jew contractor to one of our own countrymen. He had often recommended an improvement in the construction of the Board of Admiralty-worse than it now was could not be conceived. Too many cooks spoiled the broth. He recommended the cutting down of two lay Lords; and he should say of them as he said of a noble relative of his who was in the Admiralty Board, that he would be sea-sick in a punt under Westminster Bridge. As regarded the contracts for stinking meat, he wanted to know how many tenders there were from solvent and respectable men, besides that which Goldner sent. Probably Goldner would now be knighted, as knighting was the order of the day. However, he still indulged a hope that the name of Goldner would not be suffered to disgrace the list. He wanted to know what tenders had been offered by people in the United Kingdom, and how it was that nobody had any chance with the Admiralty but this Hungarian Jew? He never yet had been Jewed, and, with the assistance of God, he never would. The meat was not made to feed, but to poison. Had he his wish, the Board of Admiralty should be put to feed upon this stuff, instead of those fine dinners which they feasted upon. He would like to know where the price of those dinners came from. He supposed from the same source as the editor of the Dublin World newspaper had been paid-out of the secret service money. 7,000l. were lavished upon the World. He supposed there were other departments of Her Majesty's Government equally well managed. The water on board our ships was, he believed, as good as the preserved meat; and the cheese-American cheese-would choke a dog. MR. MACGREGOR was anxious not to let the question pass without a few words of observation. With the exception of the ships of the United States, the British Navy was better victualled than those of any other service in the world. It was a fact which ought to be extensively known that the victualling of ships was exclusively made up without reference to preserved meats. A sufficient quantity of food was put on board, and preserved meats were only superadded to the store already obtained. This was a circumstance which, were it known, would allay much anxiety in the residents of many of the seaport towns. The right hon. Baronet at the head of the Admiralty had taken as much care and bestowed as much pains on his department, as any person who had ever preceded him in that office; and if blame were to be attached to any person, it certainly was not the right hon. Baronet. There had been a great deal of exaggeration on the subject, and he was quite satisfied that upon investigation it would turn out that the First Lord of the Admiralty had taken every possible precaution in the way of security. It was clearly impossible, however, that he could foresee how this contract would turn out. He (Mr. Mac gregor) believed that many cases of damaged meat had been designedly placed in the contract for some wrong purpose. He trusted, however, that in future the preserved meats for the Navy would be made up in this country, and he was, therefore, glad that the subject was to be referred to a Committee. SIR WILLIAM JOLLIFFE, in reply, said, he had, in bringing forward the Motion, acted on his own responsibility, and not under the advice of any person or party whatever. He was satisfied that the inquiry should include the years 1845 and 1846, and, therefore, he was prepared to adopt that portion of the suggestion which would include the victualling of the Erebus and Terror. SIR FRANCIS BARING was only too happy to give the fullest facilities, and to make the inquiry as strict and as searching as possible. Select Committee appointed. LAW OF MORTMAIN. MR. HEADLAM, in rising to move the reappointment of the Select Committee of last Session to inquire into the Laws of Mortmain, said, that the Committee examined a great number of witnesses, some of whom gave very interesting and valuable evidence. Owing, however, to the late period of the Session to which their inquiries extended, the Committee separated without making any Report. He was now anxious that the Committee should be reappointed in order that they might receive some slight additional evidence before proceeding to make a Report. The Master of the Rolls for Ireland had been an active member of the Board for administering the Charitable Bequests Act in Ireland, and was able to give some valuable evidence to the Committee. was unable to come over last Session, and he (Mr. Headlam) wished the Committee to be reappointed, in order that his evidence might be taken on the operation of the present Law of Mortmain. There was some misapprehension as to the objects of the Committee, but he trusted their labours would lead to the law being placed upon a better foundation than at present. The Act of Lord Hardwicke had entirely failed in its object, and an Amendment in the law was requisite. They had no desire to offer any impediments to the stream of charitable donations; but they considered that it was infinitely better for those who had anything to give to give it during their own He lives, when they could superintend its dis- | in the case of the Dublin Steam Packet tribution. Select Committee appointed. BRAZIL MAIL PACKET CONTRACT. MR. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH moved for Company. They stated that they would not sanction it unless the services were put up for tender. A tender was accordingly made by the West India Steam Packet Company at 3s. 2d. per mile, and the contract was given to them. Now, the Screw Company were prepared to have carried the mails at 3s. 4d. per mile, whereas the other Company had only one small screw steamer, the Esk, which was totally unfit for the service. They never took any steps to carry out the contract, nor were any proceedings instituted by the Admiralty to force them to do so, although it was clearly their duty to see the public service performed. So matters went on until the contract for the carriage of the mails to the West Indies expired, and then a joint contract was given, without a public tender being called for, to the West India Mail Company, for the carriage of the double mails at the enormous sum of 270,000l. a year. He really could hardly "Copies of the Tender made, or Agreement or Contract entered into, with the West India Mail Packet Company, to carry the Mail to the Brazils at three shillings and twopence per mile, and the number of voyages performed by that Company under such Tender, Agreement, or Contract." In bringing forward this Motion, it was necessary for him to make a short statement as to the course pursued by the Admiralty in reference to this subject. Up to 1849, Government was in the habit of carrying, through the instrumentality of their own officers, the mail from Holyhead to Dublin at an annual cost of about 56,000l. At that time Lord Auckland deemed it advisable that the service should be contracted for. It was put up to tender, and the Dublin Steam Packet Com-credit the statement he was about to pany offered to do it for 45,000l. a year. A director of the Mail Packet Company was told by the Lord of the Admiralty, whose peculiar province it was to regularly to transact such business, that their tender was accepted. However, certain parties connected with the Chester and Holyhead Railway thought it necessary to remonstrate with the Admiralty. It appeared that a transaction by the Admiralty must have a counter signature at the Treasury. Taking advantage of this, although the lowest tender had been accepted, the Treasury thought it necessary to interfere, and insisted that the matter should be reopened, and these gentlemen were forced to take it afterwards much under that sum, for the protection of their Liverpool traffic. If that had always been the course pursued, perhaps he should not have so grievous a case; but his complaint was, that that had not been the course, and that, on the contrary, a totally different principle had been acted upon. In 1849, Lord Auckland deemed it advisable that the last of the sailing packets from England to the Brazils should be super-pany were of pine; and they had seen the seded by a steam-packet, and he entered into an agreement with the Screw Steam Company, that the mail should be carried at a certain rate, the lowest rate that at that period had ever been agreed to by any company. The screw steamers were prepared to carry out this agreement, but the Treasury pursued the same course as make, but he was informed that this contract had been given for the period of ten years, although a tender from another Company equally competent was in the possession of the Admiralty, to do the same service for 80,000l. a year. Thus, a sum of 190,000l. of the public money had been wasted. He knew no reason why this particular Company, either on public or private grounds, should be peculiarly favoured; yet no stipulation had been introduced into the contract, that the ships should be of timber of a certain scantling, or that they should be able, in case of war, to carry guns of a certain calibre; which he had been informed they would not be able to do. Again, though the Admiralty, in spite of the advantages offered by the employment of iron in shipbuilding, had decided against the use of iron vessels, they had, nevertheless, allowed them to be used by this favoured company. Again, the Admiralty had taken no care as to the kind of wood of which the ships were made. The vessels of the Screw Company were of oak, whereas those of the other com evil effects of the use of pine, in the calamity which had occurred to the Amazon. That ill-fated vessel was built of pine, and the turpentine in that wood had added fury to the flames. The West India Company were now not efficient in the performane of their duties, for complaints were constantly being made against them. Letters from the West Indies were sent to New York to be brought to England by Cunard's line, for expedition. The company had not been selected for their patriotism, for they had adopted in the West Indies a Danish island for their station. Seven of its vessels had already been lost, five of which, according to the evidence of their own secretary, had been wrecked in consequence of the gross negligence of their commanders. It had been said that the reason of the favour which had been shown the Company was in commiseration of their losses; but even there they were unable to make a case, for their directors had stated that they had a fund of half a million for the building of ships, and they had made a dividend of 8 per cent. He had been informed that at this moment the Admiralty had entered into a contract for the Australian service, with a company which had yet to be formed; and which had offered terms so ruinously low that it was impossible for them to be fulfilled. It was essential that the mail service of this country should be efficiently performed; and yet it was said that the Admiralty had entered into a contract with a company which had neither ships nor capital. There were two companies perfectly competent to have taken the contract the Oriental and Peninsular, and the Screw Company-and yet the Admiralty were said to have selected a company which might or might not be formed. In conclusion, he had only to state that he had received the information which he had laid before the House from persons high in authority in the different companies to which he had referred; and no one would be more gratified than himself if the explanation of the hon. Gentleman opposite should prove satisfactory. The hon. Gentleman concluded with his Motion. MR. COWPER said, that the only objection he had to the Motion of the hon. Gentleman was, that no such documents were in existence. There had been no tender made for 3s. 2d. per mile, and there was, therefore, no agreement, and no contract, consequently the return must be nil. Of course, if the hon. Gentleman liked to move for the returns, the Admiralty would make no objection, for they desired that the most searching inquiry should be made into the whole of the circumstances. The hon. Gentleman had said that he should bring grave charges against the Board of Admiralty; but it appeared that they all amounted to this, namely, that in three cases the Admiralty had made bargains Mr. F. French With ruinously low to the contractors. reference to the last, the Australian Company, the contract was certainly very low; but the company was composed of persons of capital and substance, who had a good name in the City, and who could give effectual security that they would perform their undertaking, or pay the penalty to which they would be exposed if the contract should be broken. As to the conveyances of the mails between Dublin and Holyhead, it was quite true that the Admiralty had at one time entered into an agreement to pay 45,000l., and had ultimately made a contract to perform the same service for 25,000l., thereby saving 20,000l. a year. That charge was perfectly correct. They were on the point of entering into a written agreement for the former sum; but, fortunately, before any formal document had been executed, another party stepped in and signified their wish to tender. The first negotiation was therefore broken off, and the result was a saving of 20,000l. a year to the public. He could speak with confidence and certainty upon this subject, because, since then, it had been brought before a Committee of that House, which had reported in terms of the greatest approbation of the Admiralty's conduct; and it was certainly no great matter of reproach to save 20,000l. per annum. With regard to the Brazilian contract, the lowest tender was accepted, being that of the West India Company. It was true the Screw Steam Packet Company made a proposal and laid a plan for the sevice before the Admiralty; but instead of accepting that proposal at once, they called for tenders, and as the Screw Company did not make the lowest tender, they did not obtain the contract. So far the result was favourable to the practice of the Admiralty. The tender of the West India Company was accepted; but after its acceptance the Company found their vessels were, by age, unable to compete with the more rapid vessels put into those seas by the United States, and that they must go to a large expenditure to procure more efficient vessels of greater power; they made a proposal to the Admiralty for a fresh contract. [Mr. FRENCH: How long after?] In the year 1849. Their proposal was not agreed to, because a Committee of the House of Commons was then sitting on the subject, and it was thought desirable that the whole of this contract should be made the subject of examination before that Committee. Nothing was thus actually done for a year and |