tion, meant for the benefit of the middle and higher classes in Ireland, should meet with the good opinions of these classes. He hoped, therefore, that the Government would alter the views which they had at first announced respecting it; so as to take care that the measure would not go before the people of Ireland merely as a source of patronage to the Crown. He gave this advice solely from his desire that the Bill should pass under the most favourable auspices. to be entrusted, would have a belief in the truths of Christianity. The two Votes-one of 100,000l., for the building of new Colleges, and the other of 21,000l. annually, for the support of the Colleges-were then agreed to. The House resumed. Report to be received. MEDICAL REFORM BILL.] On the Motion, that the Order of the Day be read for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Bernal said, he would take that opportunity of asking the right hon. Baronet a question with reference to the better regulation of the medical profession. Much excitement prevailed throughout the country, with reference to the clause introduced affecting the right of chemists and druggists to dispense medicine. A great many petitions had been presented on the subject; and he thought it would facilitate the object of the right hon. Gentleman, if he would state whether any other clause was to be introduced involving the interests of the class to whom he alluded. Mr. Williams could not help expressing his regret that the Government had departed from the sum which theyhad originally fixed upon for the maintenance of these Colleges. Considering that the large grant of 100,000l. was to be voted in the first instance, and that the support of these Colleges was afterwards to be defrayed out of the public revenues, he thought that the Government should be satisfied to rest there; and that they would allow the funds necessary for rewards and premiums to be contributed, as in Scotland, by private individuals. He would, however, be satisfied to allow the additional 3,000l. to pass withSir James Graham said, there was a out opposition, provided the Government would consent to leave that part of the special provision in the Apothecaries Act, grant subject to the annual control of Par-limiting the power of chemists and drugliament, as he did not object so much to the amount, as to the principle involved in it. Sir James Graham said, he had before announced that he would enter fully into the subject on Monday. He would, however, beg to remind the hon. Gentleman, that this country and Scotland were very differently circumstanced from Ireland in this respect; as the Colleges proposed to be erected in the latter country would be new institutions, giving but little inducements to private parties to contribute towards their success. Lord John Russell observed that when he had asked the right hon. Baronet for an explanation of the course to be pursued, it was with a view that other Members who were not satisfied with the application of the amount demanded, and the House generally, should take into consideration whether it would be better to enter into the question now, or to reserve their observations to a future period. Sir Thomas Acland said, he thought it right to express a hope that the Bill would not leave that House without some security being given in it, that the professors to whom the education of the youth of Ireland were gists with respect to dispensing medicine; and as the Bill which he had introduced would repeal that Act, he intended to place them, under the new Bill, in precisely the same position which they occu pied under the existing law. PENSIONS FOR NAVAL OFFICERS.] Sir G. Cockburn said, a question had been asked of him the other night, by the hon. and gallant Officer opposite (Sir Charles Napier), as to whether the Admiralty were prepared to alter their former order regulating the granting of pensions to wounded officers. He thought it right, in explanation of the answer which he had given on that occasion, to add, that the Government always reserved to themselves the right of recommending to Her Majesty to grant pensions in extraordinary cases of good conduct or otherwise, even where the wound was not of a nature to cause the loss of a limb. He thought this explanation necessary, lest it should be supposed, that whenever an officer was wounded, he would be entitled to an annual pension. Sir Charles Napier said, it would be much better that parents, before sending their sons into the Navy, should know that no pensions would be given for any wound which was not equivalent to the loss of a limb. He thought the Navy would be treated better, if they were at once informed, that in all cases of wounds not involving loss of limb no pension would be given, instead of being left, as at present, in doubt and uncertainty as to the matter. IRISH FISHERIES.] Sir Henry Winston Barron brought forward the Motion of which he had given notice, for calling the attention of Her Majesty's Government, on the Order of the Day being read for going into Committee of Supply, to the neglected state of the Irish fisheries. He said he thought he could show that the Board of Works in Ireland were not doing their duty-that they had grossly violated the Act of Parliament, in not fulfilling the duties entrusted to them by the Legislature, with reference to the fisheries in Ireland. The proper management and encou ragement of the fisheries was a subject of most vital importance to a large class of the people of Ireland. The present Act was in force for three years; and yet within that period, out of 160 or 170 rivers, in which the Board of Works were to fix the boundaries between the fresh water and salt water, they had only arranged these bounds in fifteen rivers, eight of which were in the county of Kerry. In the next place, he had to complain that they had not complied with the provision of the Act, which required them to lay Reports before that House within three weeks of the meeting of Parliament in each year. Instead of doing so, their first Report in 1843 was not laid on the Table of the House until May; their second Report, in 1844, not until July; and their third Report, for the present year, had been only made within the last fortnight, and had been only five days in the hands of Members. The third complaint which he had to make of the Board was, that when a number of gentlemen interested in the success of the Irish fisheries wished the Board to convene a meeting in Dublin last winter, as they were required to do by the Act, the Commissioners refused, but said they would take any written statement which might be sent to them into their consideration. Such a document was accordingly prepared; but no further notice appeared to have been taken of it. The next omission of which he complained was, that they had not made such statistical Returns as should appear practical to them, as the Act required. But, in their second Report, instead of doing so, they stated that they construed the word practical to mean convenient. Why, he would ask, if such were the case, and if they did not find it suit their convenience, did they not tell the Government so, and divest themselves of the responsibility of carrying the Act into effect? The officers commanding the coast guards in Ireland were required to register all the boats employed in the fisheries within their respective districts. These officers sent in twenty-eight Reports; every one of which testified to the industrious and peaceable habits of the people employed in the fisheries, and to the fact that owing to the want of piers along the coast, the large boats necessary for the deep-sea fishery could not be used in many places. He trusted the Government would take this subject into prompt consideration. They voted 14,000l. a year for the improvement of the fisheries in Scotland, besides 3,000l. a year for building piers, and improving harbours in that country; and yet in Ireland, where such assistance was so much more wanted, they had not given a single farthing within the last three years for building piers. On the 26th of July, 1843, Lord Glenelg brought forward a Motion on this subject in the House of Lords; and on that occasion he expressed his regret that so valuable a Bill should be allowed to remain a dead letter on the Statute Book; and Lord Carbery, on the same occasion, stated that the Commissioners in Dublin gave a very cold reception to gentlemen who were anxious to advance the interests of the poor fishermen. The Duke of Wellington stated at the time. that he would take care that the attention of the Government, in the proper quarter, should be directed to the subject; but he was sorry that promise had not been carried out. He considered these Commissioners were bound to ascertain the rights of the public, as well as of private individuals, so as to have them properly defined. He complained, that in his part of Ireland, the salmon breeding were destroyed by thousands and hundreds of thousands every year. The Commissioners had no excuse on this point; for they had ample power, and could ensure the assistance of the coast guard and the police. He conceived, that it was also the duty of the Commissioners to diffuse information on the coast of Armagh and Kerry, amongst the fishermen, as to the nature of the fisheries. Nothing of this kind had been done. The truth It ought, however, to be borne in mind was, that nearly all the mischiefs which that the full operation of the Fishery Act existed, with respect to the fisheries, had did not rest with the Government, or with arisen from their neglecting the provisions the officers of the Government. Much of the Act of Parliament. This was not a must depend upon the energy and entermere private right to be enforced by private prise of the individuals themselves. The individuals; but there were public fisheries hon. Baronet had stated that the Comwhich this Board was constituted to pre-missioners had been guilty of seventeen serve. Again, the Commissioners admitted that the greatest destruction had taken place in several of the oyster fisheries; for instance, at Carlingford, and other places. It was said, that this deterioration of the oyster fisheries had been occasioned by the neglect of the Acts of Parliament. Now, these Commissioners were the only persons authorized to carry out the provisions of the Act. Now, he would suggest as a remedy, that instead of the present Board, to which such extensive duties were entrusted, that there should be a smaller Board, whose attention should be devoted entirely to the fisheries. He would also suggest the formation of local boards; at the head of each should be a paid officer; but that the other members should not be paid. He would also recommend that local inspectors should be appointed, to see the Act enforced under these boards. He also would recommend that steps should be taken to encourage the building of large boats, as the Irish fisheries were at about fifty or sixty miles from the coast; and, above all, he would recommend that small harbours and piers should be erected along the coast, and that the provisions of the Fisheries Act of last year should be carried out. The Irish fisheries were a most important nursery for seamen, and during the last war sent not less than 10,000 seamen to our Navy. The promotion also of the Irish fisheries would tend materially to ameliorate the condition of the poorer class of the people. He trusted that the Government would take up the subject. Sir T. Fremantle did not complain of the observations of the hon. Gentleman. On the contrary, he agreed with many of them, and shared his desire to encourage the fisheries of Ireland. He was not well acquainted with the details of this subject. Most of the correspondence connected with it had taken place before his period of office. He thought, however, that the hon. Baronet had been too severe in his animadversions upon the Commissioners. The Act under which they had acted had been improved last year, and very judici ous powers were now entrusted to them. violations of the Act of Parliament; and, though he had not made up his number, he had brought forward many objections to their conduct. With regard to the first, the hon. Baronet was mistaken in saying that the Commissioners had not defined the bounds of the rivers. It was true that the Commissioners had not regularly placed before Parliament their Returns; and, though there was a natural desire by all public Boards to render their Returns as perfect as possible, which caused delay, this was an evil which he (Sir T. Fremantle) would do his best endeavours to remedy. The statement made by the hon. Baronet as to the declining state of these fisheries was somewhat exaggerated. In 1844, the number of vessels engaged in the fisheries of the first class had been 1,887; and in 1845, they had amounted to 2,237; while of the second class the vesand in 1845, they had reached 15,718. sels engaged in 1844 had been 14,048; The hon. Baronet had made several suggestions which were worthy of consideration; but the worst of all these suggestions was, that they required a considerable outlay from the Consolidated Fund. They would, however, receive the best attention of the Government. The only difference between the hon. Baronet and himself was, whether the Commissioners were going on fast enough. It was difficult exactly to decide this question; but he could assure the House and the hon. Baronet, that there was every desire on the part of the Government to encourage the fisheries of Ireland. Mr. Sheil thought that great credit was due to his hon. Friend for having directed public attention to another mode of improving the condition of Ireland. He admitted that Sir John Burgoyne was a most meritorious public officer; but he had so many matters to attend to in the various public departments with which he was connected, that it was impossible that he could attend to them all. He most strongly recommended the building of piers as being most essential to the well He could not con- | adopt measures for the improvement of our coast defences. being of the fisheries. ceive that any serious objections existed to the loan system, although many existed against the bounty system. Mr. Wyse could bear testimony to many of the observations of his hon. Colleague as to the inefficiency of the Board of Public Works with respect to the public fisheries. He thought that a separate Board should be formed to attend solely to the fisheries. He was sorry that the recent Act had not been carried so extensively as it ought to have been into operation: he hoped that did not arise from any lukewarmness on the part of the Government. He entirely agreed with his right hon. Friend as to the advantage of the loan system, in contradistinction to a bounty system. He believed that such a system would be productive of the greatest good to a large class of persons. Viscount Bernard agreed with the right hon. Member for Dungarvon that it would be productive of great good if the Government would extend the loan system to the fishermen in Ireland, so as to enable them to build larger boats. Subject at an end. Sir C. Napier having risen to bring forward the subject of the defences of the naval forts and arsenals, Mr. Speaker said, the hon. Member had lost his opportunity, having already spoken. Lord J. Russell thought it would be very hard if his hon. and gallant Friend should be precluded from addressing the House because he replied to an observation of the gallant Admiral opposite on a different subject. He should move, if necessary, that the other Orders of the Day be read, and then his hon. and gallant Friend would be in order; but he hoped his hon, and gallant Friend would be allowed to address the House. MARITIME DEFENCES.] Sir C. Napier said, he did not mean to found any Motion on the subject as to which he had given notice; but he would proceed shortly to call the attention of the House to the state of the naval forts and arsenals, and the harbours for the protection of the mercantile marine. This subject was one on the importance of which he need not dwell; and he found that in the year 1796 Mr. Pitt had directed the attention of Parliament to it, and strongly pressed Parliament to "That it appears to this House, that to provide effectually for securing His Majesty's dockyards at Portsmouth and Plymouth, by a permanent system of fortification, founded on the most economical principles, and requiring the smallest number of troops possible to answer the purpose of such security, is an essential object for the safety of the State, intimately connected with the general defence of the kingdom, and necessary for enabling the fleet to act with full vigour and effect, for the protection of commerce, the support of our distant possessions, and the prosecution of oftion may hereafter be engaged..... And, fensive operations in any war in which the nain order to judge of its necessity towards that great object, he should attempt, but with much pain, to bring back the recollection of the House to the unfortunate and calamitous situation to which we were exposed in the late war, much in consequence of our want of those fortifications which it was the aim of the present question to provide. A considerable part of our fleet was confined to our ports, in order to protect our dockyards; and thus we were obliged to do what Great Britain had never done before-carry on a mere defensive war; a war in which, as in every other war merely defensive, we were under the necessity of wasting our resources, and impairing our strength, without any prospect of benefiting ourselves but at the loss of a great and valuable part of our possessions, and which at last was terminated by a necessary peace." If measures for the improvement of the national defence were necessary in 1786, were they not still more necessary at the present moment, after thirty years' peace? The introduction of steam into naval warfare increased the necessity for taking measures of this kind. In former days it was much easier to prevent disembarkation on our coasts than it would be in future wars. The pamphlet of the Prince de Joinville-and a very clever pamphlet it was-showed the efforts which were now making by the French Government for the augmentation of their steam navy. At St. Malo and Cherbourg-ports contiguous to the Channel Islands-they had constructed extensive basins and docks for the repair of steamers; at Calais, the works for the same purpose were of the most extraordinary extent; and at Dunkirk, they were fortifying that port, which had been always regarded by this country with so much jealousy in former wars. By the last accounts the steam navy of France consisted of 26,476 horse-power: STEAMERS ON THE STOCKS. 4 frigates, 1 of 640, 1 of 540, and 1 of 450 horse power, at 11-24 finished 10 corvettes, of which 5 of 320, and 5 of 220 horse power, and nearly 5-24 finished 8 steamers of 160 horse power, and under of which upwards of 1-24 finished 22 The Report adds He would not pretend to say that the "For the service of the year 1846, and as a basis for the expense of the fleet, the Minister proposes to keep 170 ships of different sizes in a state of armament, namely: 8 ships of the line of different classes 12 frigates, ditto 12 corvettes of war, ditto 1 corvette aviso 25 brigs of war 30 gun brigs, galiots, cutters, &c. 62 steamers, of which 3 are of 540 and 450, |