16 JUNE 1860, Page 10

POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY MORNING.

The House of Commons sat in the morning, (yesterday,) and made some progress with the Annuity-tax Abolition Bill. The evening sitting was opened by the usual fire of interrogations.

Mr. PENNEY asked why the clock in the Clock-tower had stopped ? Mr. COWPFR, the First Commissioner of Works, gave an elaborate re- ply. lie said he had written to Mr. Denison on the subject, and that gentleman was now engaged in finishing the clock. The opportunity had been taken to clean the clock, for in consequence of lighting the clock with gas, a good deal of dirt had got into the works. He had also consulted the Astronomer Royal, who had paid great attention to the clock. (Laughter.)

Mr. BAINES asked questions relative to the Treaty of Commerce with France, namely—.

First. It having been stated that applications are pressed upon our lead- ing commercial men to proceed to Paris, under the auspices of the Board of Trade, to convince the French Commissioners that liberality is the true policy, whether it is true that leading commercial men have been pressed to proceed to Paris ; and, if so, for what purpose ? and, secondly, it having been publicly alleged that the treaty is an universally admitted failure, whether the President of the Board of Trade can state if anything has oc- curred in the progress of the negotiations, to cause the Government or their negotiators to believe that the supplementary convention will fail to carry 4aut the original design of the treaty ?

Mr. M. Ctrimos said that if it had been stated that the Board of Trade had urgedupon any commercial gentlemen to go to Paris to convince the French Commissioners that liberality is the true policy, it was en- tirely incorrect: No commercial gentleman had been asked to go to Paris for such a purpose.

But he would state what really had been done. As it was necessary under the treaty that there should be a supplementary convention, in order to con- vert ad valorem into specific duties, and to settle the amount, it was thought desirable to obtain from the Chambers of Commerce, and persons re- presenting the various branches of industry likely to be affected, the best in- formation. The Chambers of Commerce were invited to supply the Board of Trade with information. It was suggested that deputations should go to Paris, but the Board of Trade merely threw out the suggestion that delegates should go to Paris rather than deputations, in order that they might supply special information, with a view to settle the details of the treaty. That was a most reasonable and proper course, and unless it had been taken, it, perhaps, would not have been possible to coney to the Commissioners the practical special information as to the branches of industry which it was ne- cessary for them to possess in fixing the duties. With regard to the question, whether it had been publicly alleged that the treaty was an universally ad- mitted failure, he had only to say, that the statement was entirely new to him. He thought that the practical commercial value of this treaty had been underrated, and he anticipated that the arrangements now going on in Paris, would effectually, carry out the original designs and object of the treaty.

Lord PALMERSTON, in reply to Mr. E. JAMES, said that the Committee appointed to inquire into precedents, in consequence of the rejection of the Paper-duties Bill by the House of Lords, hoped to be able to present their report next week.

Lord Jolts RUSSELL, in answer to questions put to him, said that he expected that the French Government could address a communication to the Great Powers, asking for a recognition of the Annexation of Savoy, and he expected to receive it next week, but he could not of course at present state what would be the nature of it. He had been informed by Lord Cowley, that it was not likely that it would be possible to con- vert the ad valorem duties into specific duties, in the time provided in the treaty, and, therefore, some prolongation of time would be necessary. He believed that would be done by a supplemental convention.

In the House of Lords last night, Earl DE GREY and RIPON stated in answer to the Earl of CAMPERDOWN, that a number of Sir William Arm- strong's rifled cannon had been supplied to the ships in her Majesty's Navy, but it was undesirable to state the precise number so furnished.