The political agitation and excitement which I have had heretofore occasion to lament appear to have gradually abated, and, as a natural result, private capital has been more freely applied to useful public enterprizes, undertaken through the friendly co-operation of individuals interested in the welfare of Ireland. I have carried into effect, in the spirit in which it was conceived, the Act for the more effectual application of charitable donations and bequests. I recommend to your favourable consideration the policy of improving and extending the opportunities for academical education in Ireland. The report of the commission appointed to inquire into the law and practice in respect to the occupation of land is nearly prepared, and shall be communicated to you immediately after its presentation. The state of the law in regard to the privileges of the Bank of Ireland, and to other banking establishments, in that country, and in Scotland, will no doubt occupy your attention. The health of the inhabitants of large towns and populous districts in this part of the United Kingdom has been the subject of recent inquiry before a commission, the report of which shall be immediately laid before you. It will be highly gratifying to me if the information and suggestions contained in that report shall enable you to devise the means of promoting the health and comfort of the poorer classes of my subjects. I congratulate you on the success of the measures which 3 years since were adopted by Parliament for the purpose of supplying the deficiency in the public revenue, and arresting the accumulation of debt in the time of peace. The Act which was passed at that time for imposing a tax upon income will shortly expire. It will be for you, in your wisdom, to determine whether it may not be expedient to continue its operation for a further period, and thus to obtain the means of adequately providing for the public. service, and at the same time of making a reduction in other taxation. Whatever may be the result of your deliberations in this respect, I feel assured that it will be your determination to maintain an amount of revenue amply sufficient to meet the necessary expenditure of the country, and firmly to uphold that public credit which is indispensable to the national welfare. The prospect of continued peace, and the general state of domestic prosperity and tranquillity, afford a favourable opportunity for the consideration of the important matters to which I have directed your attention; and I commit them to your deliberation, with the earnest prayer that you may be enabled, under the superintending care and protection of Divine Providence, to strengthen the feelings of mutual confidence and good-will between different classes of my subjects, and to improve the condition of my people. SPEECH of the Queen, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, August 9, 1845. My Lords and Gentlemen, I REJOICE that the state of public business enables me to release you from further attendance in Parliament. In closing this laborious session, I must express to you my warm acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the consideration of many subjects deeply affecting the public welfare. I have given my cordial assent to the Bills which you presented to me for remitting the duties on many articles of import, and for removing restrictions on the free application of capital and skill to certain branches of our manufactures. The reduction of taxation will necessarily cause an immediate loss of revenue, but I trust that its effect in stimulating commercial enterprize and enlarging the means of consumption will ultimately provide an ample compensation for any temporary sacrifice. I have witnessed with peculiar satisfaction the unremitting attention which you have bestowed on the measures recommended by me to your consideration at the commencement of the session, for improving and extending the means of academical education in Ireland. You may rely upon my determination to carry those measures into execution in the manner best calculated to inspire confidence in the institutions which have received your sanction, and to give effect to your earnest desire to promote the welfare of that part of my dominions. From all foreign Powers I continue to receive assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country. The Convention which I have recently concluded with the King of the French, for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade, will, I trust, by establishing a cordial and active co-operation between the 2 Powers, afford a better prospect than has hitherto existed of complete success in the attainment of an object for which this country has made so many sacrifices. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I thank you for the liberality with which you have voted the supplies for the service of the current year. My Lords and Gentlemen, On your return to your several counties, duties will devolve upon you scarcely less important than those from the performance of which I now relieve you. I feel assured that you will promote and confirm, by your influence and example, that spirit of loyalty and contentment which you will find generally prevalent throughout the country. In the discharge of all the functions intrusted to you for the public welfare, you may confidently rely on my cordial support; and I implore the blessing of Divine Providence on our united efforts to encourage the industry and increase the comforts of my people, and to inculcate those religious and moral principles which are the surest foundation of our security and happiness. CONVENTION between Great Britain and France, for the Suppression of the Traffic in Slaves.-Signed at London, May 29, 1845. [Ratifications exchanged at London, June 7, 1845.] HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, considering that the Conventions of the 30th of November, 1831,* and the 22nd March, 1833,† have effected their object in preventing the use of the English and French flags in carrying on the Slave Trade, but that this odious traffic still exists, and that the said Conventions are insufficient to ensure its complete suppression; His Majesty the King of the French, having expressed his desire to adopt more effectual measures for the suppression of the Slave Trade, than those contemplated in the said Conventions; and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland being anxious to co-operate for * Vol, XVIII. Page 641. Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, et Sa Majesté le Roi des Français, considérant que les Conventions du 30 Novembre, 1831,* et du 22 Mars, 1833,† ont atteint leur but en prévenant la Traite des Noirs sous les pavillons Anglais et Français, mais que ce trafic odieux subsiste encore, et que les dites Conventions sont insuffisantes pour en assurer la suppression complète; Sa Majesté le Roi des Français ayant témoigné le désir d'adopter pour la suppression de la Traite, des mesures plus efficaces que celles qui sont prévues par ces Conventions; et Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande ayant à cœur de concourir à ce dessein; elles ont résolu de conclure une nouvelle + Vol. XX. Page 286. the attainment of this object; they have agreed to conclude a new Convention, which, as between the 2 High Contracting Parties, shall be substituted in the place of the above-mentioned Conventions of 1831 and 1833; and for that purpose they have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable George, Earl of Aberdeen, Viscount Gordon, Viscount Formartine, Lord Haddo, Methlick, Tarvis and Kellie, a Peer of the United Kingdom, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, and Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; And the Right Honourable Stephen Lushington, a member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and Judge of Her High Court of Admiralty; And His Majesty the King of the French, The Sieur Louis de Beaupoil, Count of Sainte Aulaire, a Peer of France, Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold of Belgium, his Ambassador to Her Britannic Majesty; And the Sieur Charles Leonce Achille Victor, Duke of Broglie, a Peer of France, Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, Vice-President of the Chamber of Peers: Convention, qui sera substituée entre les 2 Hautes Partics Contractantes, au lieu et place des dites Conventions de 1831 et 1833; et à cet effet elles ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir: Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, le Très Honorable George, Comte d'Aberdeen, Vicomte Gordon, Vicomte Formartine, Lord Haddo, Methlick, Tarvis et Kellie, Pair du Royaume Uni, Conseiller de Sa Majesté en son Conseil Privé, Chevalier du Très Ancien et Très Noble Ordre du Chardon, et Principal Secrétaire d'Etat de Sa Majesté ayant le Département des Affaires Etrangères; Et le Très Honorable Stephen Lushington, Conseiller de Sa Majesté en son Conseil Privé, et Juge de sa Haute Cour d'Amirauté; Et Sa Majesté le Roi des Fran çais, Le Sieur Louis de Beaupoil, Comte de Sainte Aulaire, Pair de France, Grand-Croix de l'Ordre Royal de la Légion d'Honneur, Grand-Croix de l'Ordre de Léopold de Belgique, son Ambassadeur près Sa Majesté Britannique ; Et le Sieur Charles Léonce Achille Victor, Duc de Broglie, Pair de France, Grand-Croix de l'Ordre Royal de la Légion d'Honneur, Vice-Président de la Chambre des Pairs: Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles: ART. I. In order that the flags of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of His Majesty the King of the French, may not, contrary to the law of nations and the laws in force in the 2 countries, be usurped, to cover the Slave Trade, and in order to provide for the more effectual suppression of that traffic, His Majesty the King of the French engages, as soon as may be practicable, to station on the West Coast of Africa, from Cape Verd to 16° 30' south latitude, a naval force of at least 26 cruizers, consisting of sailing and steamvessels; and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland engages, as soon as may be practicable, to station on the same part of the West Coast of Africa, a naval force of not less than 26 cruizers, consisting of sailing vessels and steam-vessels: and on the East Coast of Africa such number of cruizers as Her Majesty shall judge sufficient for the prevention of the trade on that coast: which cruizers shall be employed for the purposes above mentioned, in conformity with the following stipulations. II. The said British and French naval forces shall act in concert for the suppression of the Slave Trade. It will be their duty to Lesquels, après s'être communiqués leur Pleins Pouvoirs respectifs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, ont arrêté et conclu les Articles suivants : ART. I. Afin que le pavillon de Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, et celui de Sa Majesté le Roi des Français, ne puissent être usurpés, contrairement au droit des gens et aux lois en vigueur dans les 2 pays pour couvrir la Traite des Noirs, et afin de pourvoir plus efficacement à la suppression de ce trafic, Sa Majesté le Roi des Français s'engage à établir, dans le plus court délai possible, sur la Côte Occidentale de l'Afrique, depuis le Cap Verd jusqu'au 16° 30′ de latitude méridionale, une force navale composée au moins de 26 croiseurs, tant à voile qu'à vapeur; et Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande s'engage à établir, dans le plus court délai possible, sur la même partie de la Côte Occidentale de l'Afrique, une force navale composée au moins de 26 croiseurs, tant à voile qu'à vapeur; et sur la Côte Orientale de l'Afrique, le nombre de croiseurs que Sa dite Majesté jugera suffisant pour la suppression de la Traite sur cette côte: lesquels croiseurs seront employés dans le but ci-dessus indiqué, conformément aux dispositions suivantes. II. Les dites forces navales Anglaises et Françaises agiront de concert pour la suppression de la Traite des Noirs. Elles éta |