Page images
PDF
EPUB

PARLIAMENTARY AND JUDICIAL APPENDIX No. XXVII.

Debate in the House of Commons on the recognition of the southern confederacy.

[blocks in formation]

Debates in the House of Lords and the House of Commons concerning the presentation to Parliament of the papers in the case of the Alexandra.

[blocks in formation]

Debates in the House of Commons relative to the iron-clad vessels fitting out at Liverpool.

[blocks in formation]

Debate in the House of Commons in regard to the Alabama claims.

THE ALABAMA CLAIMS-MOTION FOR AN AD

687

687

687 688

689

694

695

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

PARLIAMENTARY AND JUDICIAL APPENDIX.

PARLIAMENTARY AND JUDICIAL APPENDIX

ΤΟ

CLAIMS AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN.

APPENDIX No. XV.

OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE ALEXANDRA TRIAL BEFORE A JURY, AND ON APPEAL TO THE COURT

OF EXCHEQUER AND THE

HOUSE OF LORDS.

IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

The ATTORNEY GENERAL, appellant, and SILLEM AND OTHERS, claiming the vessel Alexandra, seized under the foreign enlistment act, (59 George III, chapter 69,) respondents.

Report of the trial before the right honorable the Lord Chief Baron and a special jury. With an appendix.

Counsel for the Crown: The Attorney General, Sir Wm. Atherton, knight; the Solicitor General, Sir Roundell Palmer, knight; the Queen's Advocate, Sir Rob. Josh. Phillimore, knight, Q. C., D. C. L.; Mr. Locke, Q. C.; Mr. T. Jones.

Counsel for the claimants: Sir Hugh Cairns, knight, Q. C.; Mr. Karslake, Q. C.; Mr. Mellish, Q. C.; Mr. Kemplay.

Solicitor for the Crown: Mr. F. J. Hamel, solicitor for her Majesty's customs. Solicitors for the claimants: Mr. E. L. Rowcliffe, (Gregory Rowcliffe & Co.,) London. Agents for Messrs. Fletcher & Hull, Liverpool.

FIRST DAY, MONDAY, June 22, 1863.

Eight special jurymen only having answered, a tales was prayed.

The information was opened by Mr. T. Jones.

The ATTORNEY GENERAL: May it please your lordship; gentlemen of the jury, I shall have to ask, and I am sure shall obtain, your careful attention to the observations with which I shall have to introduce this case to your notice. The case is so far a singular case, that although the act of Parliament upon which it is founded passed so long ago as the year 1819, and although it is true that various proceedings have been commenced from time to time, similar to the present, under that act, I am not aware that until to-day any case of the kind has been actually brought to trial; and therefore it is a case of a class with which neither you nor other gentlemen who are in the habit of serving on juries have any very great familiarity.

Gentlemen, you will find that this information is a proceeding on the part of the attorney general claiming the forfeiture of a vessel called the Alexandra.

The act under which the information is brought is familiarly known as "The foreign enlistment act," the title of which is "An act to prevent the enlisting or engagement of his Majesty's subjects to serve in foreign service, and the fitting out or equipping in his Majesty's dominions vessels for warlike purposes, without his Majesty's license; "* and under this act, upon information received by the government in

* Vide British foreign enlistment act, (59 Geo. 3, c. 69,) post.

« PreviousContinue »