The Express. — London, England, 1855-04-28 00:00:00

I3IPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY, APRIL 27. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his Mtn the woolsack at do clack. PRACTICAL JOKES BY OFFICERS. The Earl of /MAP lESBEIRY, seeing the noble lord the commander iweihief in his place, wished to at a gnu tin to him on a subject of great importune. Their lord , shiye mast have observed with great pais that the caner Lieutenant Perry, which had brought so meek disgrace apes the service, bed lately been repeated in an even exaggerated form. There.had been two such eases-one at Caaterbury, the other in Ireland. With regard to the latter, as the noble end gallant lord had already adjudicated epos it, he would only say that In (the noble lord) hed sot erred oa the Bide of severity. (Hear, hear.) He would call the &tui tion of their lordships to the isstramions delivered to young of on their first joining their regiments, for he could mot help tbinkit g how admirably 1 th e are would be governed if those instructions wen but faithfally carried out. (Cheers.) It wee his firm belief that the parties who were la faith were the commanding cams of the regimen:o is which these outrages weaned ; for he could net con ceive it possible that they could take place if the officers In command did their duty as men, as gentlemen, u Christians, sod in conformity with the admirable instructions to which he had referred. (Loud cheers.) In the Canterbury case. be learned from the Tows of Wednesday [the case was re ported in the Doily hews of Unduly] that a young retie sen of the um* of 13400110/11018—• cornet is the 8:b Inaiskillings, and he understood a young mu of extremely gentlemanly habits and behaviour—had been 'objected to the most gross, disgusting. and filthy treatment. He was softy to say that Mr. Baumgarten had been betrayed into the folly of seeding a challenge to another cornet, named leans, Int be was still more worry to add that the officered the regiments aided and abetted in that duel. It appared, however, that a sergeant named Brodie was suently coorcous of his duty, both to the civil mad to the military law, to interpose. And who did the hoses think was the party that insisted span the duel going oa t It was the adjutant of the regiment. (Hear, hear.) He (the noble earl) wished to God that that ellen and that sergeant could change places. (Lod sheers and laughter) The question he wished te vas, whether the noble lord had isatitated w fesersy into this transaction ; and id se, whether he welatil be dee tire make haws to the entitle what his dedslem had been.. Vieevest HARDINOB admitted that the eleisment which the noble earl bed named lead by se seam been esaggerated ; and he wee tam to eegms ant lbe sysUne of practical jolt* lad besenes very le bed taken very strong eseseetee le re It dews: he had bed Aeon tried by pout meedelemil sabbavd, sad be bed expreesed his opinion la staves brae es the WON. 17 however, those memo bed wet bees eueseatel li r G e r a ld wi • out pledging himself to the mane he eboald take Is the present case, be should be obliged, he was afraid, to nem mend her Majesty to deal by her royal prerogative tell* tunic o ff enders im a much more speedy and sumeey summer (Load avers.) 'lto Earl of HARDWICKE thought that the mills epihion on the subject of dulling was in the tight dbeellea hut there could be ao doubt that the result at the same ems had been to loosen those binds which foveae* eabdsted between gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) He expressed - me °pia= whatever on the subject oeditelling, and he was quite ready to acquiesce in the feeling that prevailed; but it was clear that since the practice had been discontinued, thme had not been that stringent determination on the pert of the military authorities to suppress ungentlemanly conduct which there ought to . have bees. (Hear, hear.) In the performance of his duty as the captain of the of bee Majesty's ships, he had had the eleasi palloapas whatever in putting down by an immediatelbledamise the least attempt either at duelling or at proodol Mdse. (Hear.) He had beard stories with retinues te Mr seeded of officers even of regiments io London, mad eves atlases regiments which were employed about the puma of the eour.iga, which had really utohished him. (Hear.) For his own pert, if he were commander in-ehief, be would hold the colonel of every regiment immediately responsible, and he would deal with him rather than with the criminal him self in the most summary manner. (Loud cheers.) Lord VIVIAN—It is only right to rensiad the noble earl that the colonel of the regiment now in question is in the Crimea. — Vaels/lot HARD WICRE—Of course I meant to say the colonel or the officer in command. CHURCH RATES. • The Bishop of BiltilikorWnatTed a dissuasion upon church rates, in which the LORD CuuccaLLoa, Lord C AAAAA LL, and the Bishop of LONDON. took part. TRADE WITH RUSSIA THROUGH PRUSSIA. The Earl of ALBEMARLE rose to present a petition from the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, praying for a vigor.2us prosecution of the war with Russia ; and he said that he should at the same time beg to move for certain returns of which he had given Yotice of the various products of His ia imported into this country, up to a late date, in order to show that there had been more than the usual quantity of the productions of that country imported re cently, thereby proving the inefficiency .f the blockade in the yew 18.51. At the same time he should ask of her Ma t sty's government a question respecting the n.annor in which they proposed to deal with the trade of the enemy in the filming campaign. It appeared to him to bee subject of the greatest importance which could by possi bility occupy their attention. Everything was under a higher power, but, humanly speeklip, km considered her Majesty's winisten responsible either for peace or war. He believed it was in their power, either by an energetic and powerful policy, to put en end to the war or to make the siege of S bastopol another Troy. He di d not usually make use of expressions uttered in another place, but he might perhaps 'imamd if he borrowed one from the predecessor of the noble lord the President of the Board of Trade, la which he in the happiest phrase stated what should be the policy 01 the government. His words were " The polity of the government should be to Jolliet the maximum of in. jury on Russia, and the minimum of injury on ourselves." The (motion naturally arose, bad we done so ? The nest question was, was there a reasonable prospect that me should do so in the nett campaign ? Wu was declared on 28th March, 1854. As the law then stood it was an act of tidal, he believed of treason, fir any subject of them realms to trade with the enemy. Unfortunately for the country that wholesome law had been departed from, and it was his sincere conviction that, if it bad been adhered to, we should now, instead of gummiest as supplianta suing for peace, and submitting ourselves to the humiliation of being refused, have had our nighty ad versary at our feet begging for peace on any terms to save him from the fury of a nobility which our measures had driven into beggary and despair. We had been asked for an insignificant military force bat for a large naval armament, with the express intention of doisp what was premed is the petition he was presenting— that is, to do the manias. of injury to the enemy and the minimum to ourselves. The question had been asked over and over again of the government whether a blockade was kept up, and the stereotyped answer was that a strict blockade was preserved. But was it ? is the Bettis it might have boon well carried on ; but in the Mink Sea it was penis!, and the partiality was in favour of the enemy, for we blockaded the mouths of the Danube and shut in two sillies tisanes' of corn belonging to our friends and loft the periled the enemy epee, and let out million. of quarters of thole !lensed. The British marabout, thinking the Bleak Bea ealsesed, and that be dared not carry on commerce there, meet le Africa and India, and got large supplies • bet, la the memblass, the enemy was before him, and so ld kin linseed en that the British trader sold his at a depeesiallen of Wyse sent. Here was the maximum of Wary to the Brithit seseehant, and the maximum of profit to the enemy. From that sad ether circumstances, this continued dariag the first cam paign, and by the unfortunate orders is OMNI Of Assist, which allowed our subjects to trade telh istais, an attempt was made to carry on war ea poodle pdsmiples. He weld not go into ftnres, although Ise hod Illete.teehow the frierseee in the prWnet. of Ramis. sash as hensgr o flax, and tallow, whisk had taken piste, but be settled alp say that from the hest meanie it appeared that has milliews of gold and silver went to Bessie lest year from tide gewieby le pay kit goods received. Thee, tm inn!~ Wee lie our to be carried on in 1866 ? Why Mould we Nernittlie bleaden et last year ? He presumed the Babb eel the Black Sea enild have a strict end vigenews blesitaile ma he as ships west. Bet ships were abortive tot the psepow ad est Remiss goods, for there was a land eftleast= through the Prussian dominions. It was ossineted In this way. The goods went to St. Peteeebeeg, bat were seat from Swinish° and Novgorod to the tastier towns and so on to Memel. H. said that the geweennest should do one of two things, either rains the lieelmile and send oat rues soldiers only to shed blood to &aside the minuet, or really keep up a blockade and take seeps to seen* Prussia to close the transit trade. He did set say bow that was to be done, for of course he left that rimpossibllity to the government, and did not attempt to deal with it, for at present he was ally vet= the m a iss eeeden, with a view perhaps to a mono es the sulgeet. He would now go on to the L j e snities et pokibities of the import of Beside late do esantey. That was not a new enliest te government, he. being the fame as the into it was urged en the brae that thus Mali he eneh sad it was urged by men wive weft with Btesh, and knew the WNW, well mil when, advise was worthy of abilities, whisk wee Neer that by Its hides followed their own tilde well he Ithelhhed. It might whips be said that he heat a brief he Ihe Jessica meeshosto& het edam In this ',the Ohne hams was he an advents be due interests ; sad be now only wished es their behalf sad that of s tra d rhile that peace shoal be obtained, and that be done ley suppiag the trade milt Raid& all i f t was said such a peekibition would Millet be MOM en Rook bat great injury on ourselves. He was Nee be Wl@ Net by stopping the trade with =semi yes eseeld Mist isealaniable injury on her with the mitimma of in jury to enessives. Ho argued this from the peeullar nature at use wade. The export trade emanated of a few re= &este Yelped by serf labour,the proerty of tie Rvery um az i ltßuois, from the noble - dews, wee Wale. New of any kind were not very relied, het a saillersleneked, with hie sensed is his hand; wee me le mho lds pewee felt, The expene wore the pee =of the neldiseshinMents of Hoek end gamed set of the WNW, and wry Wag dew le beak wan SS Ned Our policy WI year our the OM. eemy ad 'SWIMS the misnames of the an ese Nest el it wee to soaks ‘l,l4.l7_ en the f. P .l4l.7 gUailk: Se Milk aSO to make that sieunuqp woes. seitintereet arise beam& the wane then that.ithed meads the war piggies rani the see es adida, sad let ear 'seem in arms be what it might peace would In t. t ., till we had made those milieu/landlord% (eel the pas.„ of war. Last year they netted lift • less than weigh, the, products, Widths whin their horses and carts were a gran source of profit to then, so much so that hones sad carts *We brought from the confines of Siberia. The ote• jact should be to make the war unpalatable to these ma— to render their exports settleable, and their serfs reptiles able. The nobility of Russia lived up to their means. jut there was no middle due to act as their agents in thderlng ings with their produces; and they had no money te pen* for the calming of their goods, end both nose were ia the hinds of a small body of British merchants, ware • most respectable and responsible set of men. T stated that if the law were to be restored to what it was the beans* of the war, they would utterly Macon the trade with Ruda ; and they wero to be believed ; hi surely such men would not run the risk of dishosoar and banishment, in order to evade the law. If fors' was given to the statute law in making it treason to trade with Ruins the effect would be at nee to destroy two-thirds of her trade, and divert into ether channels tbrinfoorths of the cipitsl now employed is it. Tee merchants in the Raisin trade must be men of onkel, hen the nature of the trade, which was carried on by advance. Who was there to succeed then in that trade / There were no merchants who could do it in ex inane in Russia, and the Pianists merchants were so low is credit and money that they paid 20 per tent discount for meat'. Were than the penny to take up • trade re enormous capital ? Besides that, from the pt' of the climate, and the nature of the men were required as agents who were pa sewed of great local knowledge, and in whom the sting sesfilence must be placed. Row long would it be Win wait • alms of men would spring up in Rants, and if fiat did enataally seise, before they were created the trade of would have been destroyed, the rouble would eon* down to the vales of an arawat, finances would be in nataein, and the soldier landlords, the men on whom their so mast depend in the day of battle, would be ren dered and despairing. The prohibition of the trade d them that they were not merely stripped of %bonnets, and bur thened with taxation, but that they were deceived of their rents; and could the war go on after that ? lie was not speaking ignorantly on this subject, for he had lied all over Russia, and he was there in 1824, sad saw the temper of the nobles; and they talked of the mo ieties which took place in the following year Just as we I. this country do in oar cheviot the efficiency of her Majesty's government. (Laughter.) 1 here was an undefined notion abroad *nit' the trade with Russia was stopped, we should be reined. Bat wee there any foundation for that ? T he raw products of Russia were not so rare that they were not, to be found in any other country. They were not like cotton, which was confined to a particular climate. With regard to hemp, that of Russia was by no mesas the I beat, the Manilla hemp beating it in the market by 16 per cost. Hemp was also obtainable from the north of France and from Lombardy. If you looked to India, it was won derful to witness toe superabundance of the productions which were got from Russia. The country swarmed with hemp and flax, sad if there was not animal tallow there was the substitute tar it. From the Himalaya mountain to ten degrees of south latitude, there grew trees fur nishing hemp and flax in abundance. There was a nettle prodatitng_a fibre equal, indeed superior to the best. Russian fibre. The Bassin fibre broke with a weight of 150 lbs., but the fibre of this nettle would hold up 400 lbs. From the Philippine Isles cane the Manilla rope, formed of • product which after clothing four millions of people cane into the market and made the beet rope in the world. It was used very much in America, and the Atalanta, a venal which ran some of our yachts so bard had all her run ning rigging supplied frost hinting rope. It was net merely in the vegetable creation that there was a rival to Russian hemp ; but there was another in iron, which was co ming into competition with it in the market. When chain cable. came into use down went the pries of hemp. Now, too, wire rope was used in all the great steam companies and by all the great shipping neaten. He wished to ' call the attention of their lordships to a statement of the Meters. Noble, the great hemp broken, who said that if the government would declare it unlawful to trade with Rusin for one year, such an impetus would be given to the grower of textile productions that they would be able to compete with Russia, even if the trade was then revived, both in pries, quality, and quantity. With regard to flax, no country was more fitted for pro dudes it than Ireland, and if an effectual blockade against Ruston trade was established, • great eneours_gensent would be given to its cultivation in that country. He had recently even Sir J. M'Neil, the engineer, who told him, that on the faith that the blockade would be strictly enforced, and that no flax would be allowed to come in from Russia, be had laid 600 acre in Ireland tinier flax, but now he found that the market wee glutted and he could not obtain a price for the produce. Then as to tallow : before the war was declared, Russian animal tallow was already losing its place in the market, having been to a great extent =- weeded by vegetable oile. When the duty on soap was taken off, many substitutes were found ;for the manufacture a that article which answered better than animal tallow. At Price's candle factory—the largest probably in the world —no animal tallow was used—palm oil being the chief ma terial out of which their candles were made. The palm that yielded this tallow in the greatest abundance was found Zitpally on that part of the African coast where the il ltde most prevailed, and it was a well known fact, that as the commerce in this oil and the other natural pro duets of the country increased, the slave trade decreased; esimequently, by abolishing the order in oouneil of 1854, they would do much towards diminishing the pressure of that tr de. Another substitute for animal tallow was to be found in the Gil extracted from the ground, or pig nut, which was pro duced in almost every part of Asia and in many parts of Africa.TheFrenehwere large manufacturers and exporters of wadies and soap, the material seed for which was almost exclusively this ground nut oil, the supply being drawn chiefly from Algeria. Again, to show how tedly substitutes rise up when required, he might refer to the products obtained from Irish peat by the Irish Peat Com pton. From that article 'tallith. oil was entreated in large quantities, sod though at tint it had been sold at Is. a sallow, it had been found so valuable for lubricating iami that the value had risen to sa. a gallon. There ositln e elittle doubt, therefore, that this Peat Company would tarnish inquests to the substitutes for Russian tallow if the order in council were done away with and the statute law were left where it was preview to that order in council being issued. Thanks to the inalikint manner in which the blesurade had been maintaind, sod the facilities given for the introduction of Rambo poem ihrowsk other countries, oar markets were dindod with Rains ilex, Russian tallow, and Basilian hemp, sad the penis of those articles had fallen in proportion. It was said that if the order in council were abolished, the consequence would be to en courage competing manufactures on the part of neutral powers. But what was the mighty competition we had to fear? Preemie was the only country wherein that soap petition could arise, gad there were but sine flax-mills in the whole of that mantry. To carry on a competing trade, Prussia mast import machinery from this country, and embark a large amount of Pinta, which, under prosiest circumstances at last, she was not Maly to do. But whether or not, it was not to be supposed that Prussia could be permitted to go on is a state of quasi-hostility, breaking our blockade, and allowing Russia. goods to come through her territory, and at the same time supply the enemy with arms aced munitions of war. (Hear, hear.) But beyond this, before then competing mann. (inane were even started, Pings would probably find herself in the position of being compelled herself to prohibit the import of Russian goods into her territory, or of having her own ports blockaded and a foreiga army on her Rhenish frontier. Nobody could yet say whether then might sot be an appeal to nationlitite. The panibility of steel a contingency had been already referred to by one minister nth. grown, and he believed was not viewed with absolute displeasure eves by the Prime Minister. But even should the worst come to the wont all the competition we could possibly have to meet he. Peng* would be a million yards or so of Silesian Berea. Under the plan pro peed the burden of proof et anlgla was to rest with the importer, sad to be tested by this British consul at the port of enbarkatfam. But this woo Rabb to evasion. Exporters might be had to swear tomyth's', and a blundering nosed might Shot the golden of Riga or St. Peters. Wm cos *at of or Slim* He could not, how owin on why the Colton Winn should noels able ee detect fraud if it won attempted. The brokers had me difficulty whatever in distinguishing_ Ronan peed from that of other countries, and if necessary thoir *levies' might be called in. Again, those engaging in Ides trade would generally be men of capital and character, sad as the price of R uss ian goods would not be enhanced man than a trifle per sent, it would not be worth while for OM to risk their capital, much lees their character, by en hairking la en illegal trade, offering so little pronged of riF mwoontion. He admitted that there would be some little diffieelty, but he had shown that the sacrifices we should be Wiwi spots to make were not so serious as was supposed. No Min knit% a great external trade could eater tato a war netted annoy sacrifices. War always 'nailed two bordsms, viz., a heavy expenditure for the maintenance of hop military sad naval establishments, and the loss arising him interruption of trade while the war continued, which hies of trade would always be in proportioa to the extent if the Wan carried oa with the massy, and the of the easy to interfere with our trade. row, in this lupin haw did England stand with yowl to Erma? la liso first plan, we were carry ing on en own Pais, notwithstaadisg the war, without in terruption. Coomioniallysling, Russia was the enemy with whom we soda bin to be at war ; because during the period_ of pont sibs had nand mown* upon our trade by In bMfle tae that say odor pawl. la a tale and open trade bens& any two inducted upon priadpiso I/equality, Os balsam in Ind silver to bo paid is the innings of the predertfim would have amos to be paid by the ems onotry Ind montimes by the other. But bow stood the on is ninon Is Rana I Fres the last returns that wen Inds up, In hind that the whole of the British exposes to Runs annoted Is 1,2211,4001. is the year, whin we remind fron em to 11,019,11411. ; so that we had a Wm. is gold or don SO par toßesat of upwards of 1, ~ wish* Weed Il i = Lit roan of the lisidra 7 = On whin b. to maks! tits him to Rink greater din IP ono mica. (Rear) ittlashwtriods with as was of man snow Os bar them mon Wilk bar was to us, it woo ea *nu is load that by stopping her trade wo pees Anumbswit of Wary upon Russia the runless. In int tot the matter by eo✓fall of s the t , T e asante k t ies to bear r a n o edom whab 4. ri sa tiatlo!heßliatia. All ion :1 61 "Pe ese l l anis lB5 B _R wire was 'sly 4200,0004 By long our net* nonsmo, lk THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 28, 1856. Ramis lea the customer who took twatkirds of all her deprived bee of almost eh the capitol by anus of I ::nr i bt sortuneree was carried on ' • whereas our loaf by the stoppage of our e x port trade to Russia was only an eightieth of our whole exports, and the /spits! was still our owe. The sacrifice we should have to bear would be a little more scanty supp ly of hemp, flax, and tallow, and' one-eightieth part o our whole exports. set this spiett the Goat of a protracted war, sada on which side would be the balance ? It might be said that this would be opposed to the principles of political economy ; but so was war, and so also was indirect taxation ? And he would warn noble lords against ad hering too closely to politico economical tue,ries is excep tional eases like that with which they had now to deal. Lord bTANLBY of ALDERLEY, who was very indis tinctly heard in the gallery, was understood to say that there would be no objection to produce the papers, though he doubted their suppij ins the perfect teat the noble earl required. With regard to the Measliest mess under which the blockade was first instituted when we entered into the war with Russia, it was thought inexpedient to adhere strictly to the maritime law with regard to neutrals, end it was decided by an order in council that her Majesty should waive her rights, but not surrender them, and that neutrals should have the right to carry the enemy's property with out being subject to the right of search. The prac ties of Russian trade hod been for the merchants here to make advances on growing pvducto of toe forth coming harvest, and the consequence tai that was that all the Russian produce lying in the ports of the Baltic and the Black Sea, when the war was declared, was the property of British merchants, and not of Russian subjects; so that had the blockade been established at once, and strictly en• forced, we should have been icflicting injury, not upon Russia, but upon British subjects, and has confiscated British commerce. Oa this account it was thought right to extend the period at which the blockade should take effect to the end of May. All that tha order in council did was to allow neutral vessels to take their produce from foreign and British ports, and it was thought right to extend the same privilege to British merchants as to coavey iog British produce to the Prussian and ether neutral ports. He denied that dories the whole blockade a single au t os of Russian produce had been exported from a Prussian port.. The circumstances of the Mocha le in the Baltic were some what peculiar. It was thought sufficient in the first instance to have ships at the Bosphorus, to prevent Russian vessels or Russian produce from passing eat. As to the legality of such a blockade, however, a esseeties was raised, and the law officers of the crown de lla est it was not legal, and as our ships of war were in aiding the military operations at the Crimea, sold not be spared for blockading the Russian ports in Mr walk Sea, he believed a coueiderable amount of pro ems gel imported from those ports. The blockade of all the I. ports in the Black Sea had been s'nee pro dding.s end be bad not heard of its hams been broken. With sewed to the Baltic, as soon as the ice broke, sad our fleet owald set, not a single Russian port is that Sal or in the Galt of Finland but would be under strict blockade, end there was every reason for believing that in the ensuing year the trade of Rani', so far as it could be carried on from those ports, would be entirely stopped. As to the land transit, however, a trade would be carried on which it would not be in our power to prevent. To show that the blockade, as far as it had been carried, had seriously interfered with the trade of Russia, the noble lord referred to returns, from which it appeared that the imports of Russian h emp in the year ending March, 1866, as compared with that ending March, 1854, had fallen from 88 per cent. of the whole imports of that article to 33 per cent., and that the imports of Russian tallow and flax had decreased in the same proportion. Referring to the difficulty of ascertaining the origin of any produce imported, and suspected to be Russian, he observed that partial manufacture made the material, whatever it was, the produce of the ex porting country when it was subjected to that process, and tallow being a material partly manufactured would, though of Russian origin, be entitled to be regarded as Prussian produce if subjected to the partial manufacturies process in Prussia, and the same with . hemp and flax. The certificates of origin would be no sufficient test; and, to evade the prohibition altogether, all that Prussia would have to do would be to export her own produce, and supply its place for her own consumption with that of Russta. Moreover, by this imperfect contrivance we should inflict a gent injury upon a neutral power as well as upon ourselves. He trusted, therefore, that the noble earl would be satisfied with the assurance that the blockade would be immediately and efficiently enforced. (Cheers.) When they recollected that half the Russian trade had been destroyed, and that her fleets had been swept from every sea, while the English flag floated in security in every part of the world, he hoped that the noble lord would admit that the blockade of the last year had not been quite nugatory. Next year he trusted that our operations would be still more effective in crippling the foe, and in making the Russian landlord and merchant, the Russian prince and peasant, feel still more severely tooth evils of war from which he believed they bad already greatly suffered. Lord BERNERS expressed the gratification he felt at the announcement that the bloeku:e was to be immediately enforced. lie should be still more gratified if he could learn that the same policy was to be acted upon in the Crimes, and that private property in Sebastopol was nu longer to be spared. The Earl of ALBEMARLE could net admit that the returns proved anything. A great deal of Russian mer chandise had come overland, and the unusual continuance of the fret had delayed the transmission of a great deal more.- The returns burin been ordered, Their lordships nee at five minutes to nine. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY, APRIL 27. The SPIA.I3II took the chair shoal, before 4 o'clock. emend the Irish Valuation het ; end it SO, hew soon it would M introdueed ? Mr. FITEGIMALD said he had a bill prepared, which would be soon introduced. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. Colonel DUNNE wished to ask the Under-Secretary for War whether It wm the intuition of the government to simulate • eivil pi aotitioser with the military medical oglcen who directed that department of the army; to state who had been selected, and what amount of pay he was to receive; also, whether he wee to become subject to the articles of war? Mr. F. PEEL. said that • civil preetitioner had been ap pointed. He was not prepared to answer the latter part of the hon. sad gallant gentleman's question._ JUVENILE OFFENDERS. ADDERLEY wished to ask the Secretary of State fur the Rome Department whether it was his intention to introduce a abon bill to supply . the defect in the Youthful Offenders Act of efficient provudons for recovering, in fit eases, from parent!, a portion of the cost of their children's mainisnanci at rclOrniatories Bir G. GREY said that he had received suggestions on this subject, but they ►ll seemed to be open to grays prat• deal objections. The Under-Secretary of State had sug gested some amendments which he thought might obtain the object In view, without being liable to those objections. Bat be would not like to commit himself to an approval of the bill till he had seen it. BALT DUTY IN INDIA. Bir J. PAKINGTON wished to ask whether the govern meat had yet received any report from the commission which was appointed to inquire into the mode of collecting the duties on salt in India. Mr. V. 8511TII odd that no official despatch had yet been received. But they received information that the re port as regarded Bombay sud Madras had been completed. and that rapid progress had been made with that of Bengal. He would communicate with the right hon. gentleman as soon as he had received the report. THE WAR MATERIEL. Colonel WYNN wished to uk whether there was any truth in the report that many of the fame fitted to the shells fired from the mortars in the batteries before &has topol were made so long ago as 1798, 1801, 1804, and 1812 ? Also whether it was true that the powder emploled to fill many of the shells was damaged powder re-stored, instead of being fresh and good powder; whether the new pattern fumes made in 1852 and sabsequently had not been found inefficient ? Mr. MONSELL replied that the 10 inch mortar fosses were made in 1853 and 1854, that the 13-inch mortar fuses were of the new pattern. Those that were taken out from Malta were of an older date, and he could not say how long they had been made. With regard to the second question he had to inform the hon. and gallant gentleman that the insider generally used for filling shells after passing proof was re.stoved powder, on account of its being softer in the grain than other powder. The fusses of 1852 were not found inefficient, but the improved pattern of 1858 was now in use in the Crimes. (Hear, hear.) OFFICERS' HORSES. Colonel WYNN wished to ask the Under-Secretary for 1 1 War, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's govern meet to give any compensation to those ofgosn whose horses (provided at their own expense) had been destroyed by the labour they had been subjected to in bringing up from Balaklava to the camp clothing, medical oomforts, and pro- I vision for the soldiers. Whether any compensation would be given to those taken whose horses were left behind at Varna, when the army embarked from thence for the Crimea. Mr. F. PEEL said that officers whose horse. had been killed in action or were used for a public purpose bad com pensation made to them according to a Seed scale of value. As to whether any compensation would be given in the par ticular case stated, he could only say that no slush came had to his knowledge arisen. THE CONVICT BURANELLI.- - - - Mr. BRIGHT moved that ino — holiss --- riits rising do adjourn to Monday next, and availed him of that motion to bring under the notice of the Secre tary of State the case of the Italian Bonnelli. who was at that moment under sentence of death in Newgate, and his execution fixed for Monday next. The point which he wished to bring under notice was this—that at the trial of this individual Mr. Shaw, the senior surgeon of Middlesex Hospital, was subpoenaed by the crown to give evidence—that he attended in court, and expected to be called to give his evidence—and that the counsel for the crown had refused or neglected to call Mr. Shaw, finding that his evidence would be in favour of the prisoner. He put it to the right hon. gentleman whether, though &course like this might be perfectly legitimate in a case of property, it wu right and proper in a case where the life of an individual was at stake. He could not help expressing the opinion that the counsel for the crown in leech a case, repress. ting the dignity and impartiality of the law, was not justified in refuting or neglecting to call a witness who bad been summoned by the crown, and who of necessity knew more of the prisoner's state of mind than any other witness. The plea of insanity was the one set up by the prisoner's counsel. Mr. Henry, the assistant surgeon to the Middlesex Hospital, was called, and gave his evidence in favour of the prisoner, but though a young man of promise in his profession, his evidence could not have as much weight with the jury as that of Mr. Shaw, who was ready to give the same evidence. The right hon. gentleman had received a memorial signed by Mr. Shaw, Mr. Cunolly, of Hanwell ; Mr. Barry, of Millbank ; Mr. Forbes Winslow, and Mr. Henry, in which they expressed their strong opinion in favour of the insanity of the pri soner. He bad no doubt that the right hon. gentleman bad given his most anxious consideration to the case, but he thought the cause of public justice, sad the reputation of their courts of justice, would suffer from the fact that the ev.dence of the gentleman who was the most competent to form an opinion as to the state of the prisoner's mind when he committed the act, was not called for, because it WAS known that what he had to say would be in favour of the prisoner. Mr. Bodkin, who was counsel for the crown, said that the name of Mr. Shaw was not on the back of his brief as one of the witnesses to be called, but he (Mr. Bright) understood it was a very common thing for the medical witness not to have his name on the back of the brief and yet to be called to give his evidence. He could not account for the prisoner's consul not cailiog Mr. Shaw, except that it arose from a misconception. He begged to call to the mind of the right bon. gentleman the case of Mrs. Brough, who killed al of her owe children, end who was re prieved on the ground that she must hays been insane to nave committed such an act. He rejoiced in her escape, and he was not without a hope that, seeing there was this 'aches In the trial, this unfortunate man would be saved from the gallows. Sir G. GREY said he was sure the house would agree with him that it would be highly dangerous and inconve nient—(cheen)—if that house were to interfere In cues of criminal trials which had taken place according to the ordi nary law of the land. (Cheers.) The facts of this case as stated by the bob. gentleman had been sent to him on Mon day evening, and were signed by several medial men. He immediately referred the subject to Mr. Justice Elie, who tried the case. It was reported on fully by him, and he afterwards maturely considered the case himself, and the decision to which he, the Under Secretary of State, bad come was in aceordanoe with that of the learned judge, that there was no doubt of the criminality of the prisoner. (Hear, bear.) With regard to the omission of evidence at the trial, he was not competent to speak, not knowing the facts of the case; but the opinion of Mr. Justice Erle was that the learned counsel, Mr. Bodkin, was not guilty of any lathes in net calling the witness. The witness was in court, and he might have been galled by the counsel for the pri- Saner. All the facts haden before the judge who tried the case, as well as before the Secretary of State. (Hear.) PROMOTION IN TILE ARMY.—MR. LAYARD. Mr. EWART said he was sure the house would excuse him for taking that opportunity of putting a question to the hon. gentleman (Mr. Peel) on • matter which was somewhat personal to himself, as it related to • near rela , tire of his. The hon. member for Aylesbury (Mr. Layard) stated In a speech at Liverpool that the only person who distinguished himself at Sandhurst College, and who was promoted to the staff in the Crimea, was a relative of his who held • commission in the 93rd Highlanders, and he added, that "he did not know if he owed that promotion to any particular 'Gauge'. He hoped not." (Hear, hear.) With tepid to the first part of the statement, that his re lathe was the only person who, having distinguished him "elf at fleadhuret, was appointid on the staff, that was an ineaseent representation. (Hear, hear.) And he was searbseed that nothing would be more hurtful to the feel =pile relative than to stand In such an unjust and prawminence. (Hear, hear.) There were many meribsrious officers on the staff in the Crimea who obtained the same distinction as his relative. The hon. gentleman, no doubt, made this statement under an erroneous impression, by edvertiag to one return and omitting to notice another. The question, however, which he wished to ask was this, whether any such influence was used, or seemed to be used, directly or indirectly, to obtain such promotion for his rela tive or whether he awed the position he obtained to any- Meg else than his endeavour to discharge his duty ? (Loud chain.) Ms. F. PEEL said that another hon. gentleman had a isseamt on the same subject, and as it would be moat con lenient to reply to both at once, perhaps he would now put IL (Hear.) Mr. H. BARING said that he had seen a letter in the Times of yesterday, signed by the hon. member fur Ayles. bury, in which the services of different officers fa the Coldstream Guards were set down with &gnat show of at tention. The last two MUMPS in the 11/4 Lord Burghersh and Lieutenant-Colonel Harding*, who were made to have seen lout Denise, had, however, eons mere service thanany of the others who dies ea the list. cr (Ohm hod s.) Lord Burgher* shim* the essapalga of the Panjeab in 1846; be bed hem at Alm, ad was se lected to bring home the derpalibssemoissirgibeiristeey. Lieut.-Colonel Harding. hilff Pee theeelh the tleePetie of the Sitlej, had been is three moral had two horses killed under his, was press* at was in the charge at Balsklava with the haft* Greys, was seep the* by General &alley mad was dee }renn e t as lakes nun. (Cheers.) Th. vault* *deb he wiled lei* te the he.. gentles* was E to ltre lin Wed Nish* was applied to these two au% whether he was aware that their other wee. NONA tem the renal reseed, as whether the nineties use to be abbot* ta the bighargibel es& didiop eta* Iwo. isesaber hr Aylealisey. beams MINIM ems of ma amhenesdoe end 2 1 11 tho Obit (Lod dielei.) Gland said Ite A M as that be Mt ft to be hie duty to' alteades Is @thee of the rime speech of the her. umber hi . C. Rear, Mar,' • and lowslolot.) Ale liwogid go haw would Nino wi sh Um that when the hon. member for Aylesbury qualified aa scandalous the conduct of the commander-in-chief in reference to promotions, and particularly in reference to his own son, and had the opportunity presented to him of vindicating that statement, or apologising for it, he ought to have availed himself of that opportunity. (Hear, hear.) He could mere the hon. gentleman that he was not actuated by any personal feelings towards him. No person approved more highly than he did the conduct of those who came forward fearlessly to make accusations against person , in high positions, if they entertained an honest conviction of the truth of the representations they made. (Hear, hear.) Be', on the other hand, he could not expre.• in sufficiently parliamentary language what he thought of those man who, for the sake of gaining a temporary popularity, or mo mentary notoriety, not only male charges, but reiterated accusations against such men, the truth of which they must at least have strung reason to doubt. (Loud cheers.) The passage is the speech of the hon. gentleman to which he referred was that in which he said that • friend of his who had seen much service and had come home sick, had been obliged to pur chase his promotion for 3,0001., and why ? In order that Lord Hardioge's eon, who stood next him, might get his pro motion without purchase. (Hear, hear.) This the hon. gentleman thought scandalous. (" Hear, hear," from Mr. Layard.) So did ho (General Peel.) (Loud cheers.) There could be no doubt whet the accusation amounted to. (Hear, hear.) It meant that one officer was compelled to purchase his promotion, is order that Lord Hardioge's son might get his for nothing. (Cheers.) Since that speech the hon. gentleman wrote a letter, in which he changed his ground. eCheen.) Now it would be necessary for him to go over every one of the promotions in the Coldstream Guards, mentioned by the hon. gentleman. The hon. gentle men said in his letter that the two officerato whose promotion he referred, were not Lord Burghersh and Lieut.- Colonel Herding', bat Lieut.-Col. 'Burdett and Lieut.- Newdegete, who had been promoted without purchase. Now with regard to the first of these officers, he was pro. muted on the 22nd of August, 1854, which was before the army went to the Crimea—(hear)—and without disparaging the services of Lieut.-Colonel Wil on, the services of Capt. Burdett were at least equal to his. They were all distils ' guished officers, but one was not more so than another. (Hear.) But supposing that this system of selection by merit was*established, he should like to know why Lieut.- Colonel Wilson should be selected before Lieut.-Colonel Harding' ? (Rear.) He was the only officer of his rank who before 1834 had seen any service whatever. (Hear ) 1 The next promotion was that of Lieut.-Colonel Newelegate, which took place on the 4th of September, 1854, also before the army proceeded to the Crimea— (hear, hear)—and in regular rotation. (Hear.) The neat vacancy that occurred was filled up by purchase. The two next officers on the list, seeing the probability of death vacancies, and preferring to take their chance, with drew their names, and Lord Duvkellin accordingly pur chued over their head., and on the 3rd November, 1854, obtained his lieutenant-colonelcy by purchase. The two next steps occurring by death vacancies in the Crimea were given to Dawkins and Strong, of whom one had 11 years' service and the other 16. He new came to the ap ?ointment of Colonel Wilson. The next vacancy occurred in consequence of the death of Colonel Mackinnon ; the bon. gentleman seemed to think that there was some power in the Horse Guards to decide whether ; this vacancy should be filled by purchase or not ; he was entirely mistaken. No doubt so long u the system of promotion by purchase and by seniority existed there would be a great deal of bad and good fortune when vacancies occurred. When the hon. member said that Colonel Wilson was compelled to' purchase, be ought to know, and Colonel Wilson must know, that there was no compulsion whatever; he might have withdrawn his name even at the very last moment, and then Colonel Harding. would have purchased over his head. The next question was whether there was anything unfair la filling that vacancy by purchase, or.whether, as Colonel Wilson seemed to think, he ought to have succeeded to it without. That wu a matter with which Col. Harding. had nothing to de ; it was entirely a question between Colonel Wilson and the family of Colonel Mackinnon; and the rule adopted in that case was one which he was sure the house would be glad to see extended to all cases where officers were killed in action, that the money might not be lost to their families. He would show by precedents that the same rule had been adopted in other cues ; the rule was that when a promotion by purchase took place and the officer promoted was killed or died before he could have heard of his promotion, the promotion was cancelled, and his friends received back the money. He heed in his hand a correspondence between the bon. member and Lord Harding*, and he would read it only to show that he did not come forward to make these charges against the hon. member without full opportunity having been afforded him for retractation. (Cheers.) The first letter was addressed to the hon. member by Lord Harding,. 15, Great Stanhope-street, April 25. " Sir,—l have read a speech of yours made et Liverpool in which you charge me with conduct se corrupt in the exercise of military duties, in the case ..of the promotion of my son to the injury of Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, of the same regiment, that you have thought proper to characterise the transaction as a most scandalous one. I most distinctly declare your statement to be utterly untrue. My eon's cotrespondence with Lieutenant Colonel Wilson having closed, and the letters being in your friend's poueseiou, I have now to require that you will immediately retract the unfounded charge made in your speech, or be prepared to show upon what authority you have preferred it.—l remain your ob dient servant, " HeaDINGE. "A. H. Layard, Esq., M.P."—(Cheers.) To that letter the hon. gentleman sent the following reply : "9, Little Ryder street, April 26, 1855. "My Lord,—ln reply to your letter I beg to ref'r you to Bares Army List as my authority for alluding to the pro motions in the regiment of Coldstream Guards, in a speech at Liverpool. (Laughter.) It may be impossible to trace the motives which may have led to such promotions, but, as a public man, I believe 1 am expressing the convictions of a very large portion of the public when 1 characterise as 'scandalous' the promotion by purchase of a regimental officer who has seen loog and arduous service, and the pro motion immediately afterwards, nithrsut purchase, of the two officers nest to him, one of whom is your own son, and both of whom have been serving on tree Staff. Similar instances are, unfortunately, too numerous to lead to any other conclusions than those to which I have come. It is asserted that Colonel Wilson's promotion took place in ac cordance with an invariable rule of the service. In other cases I have reason to believe such rules have been distinctly violated. Such being my conviction, I have nothing to retract from the statement I made at Liverpool—a state ment, I may add, for which Colonel Wilson is in no way responsible.—l have, ibc., " The Lord Hardinge." "A. LAYAILD. Lord Harding. then wrote in answer: " 15, Great Stanhoeteetreet, April 26. " Sir,—l have this evening received your letter of this date. I must remind you that Ido not complain of your opinion that promotion in the army by purchase is scandalous. Yon accused me, in your speech at Liverpool, of having promoted my son without purchase, to the injury of Lieut.- Colonel Wilson, who had been made by me to purchase his promotion, and that my conduct in doing so was most scandalous. This charge you decline to retract, although your friend Lieut.-Colonel Wilson admits that he attaches ao blame to the Horse Guards authorities. Your assertion that the rule applied by me in Lieut.-Colonel Mackinnon's race bas been violated in others, is contrary to the truth. [Cheers.] It is a waste of time to hold any further cor respondence with one *ho makes such unfounded accusa tions, and who obstinately persists therein.—Your obedient servant, " " A. Layard, Esq., M.P." Mr. LAYARD—Read my answer. .General PEEL would next show the precedents * on which the return of Col. Mackinnon's money was founded. The first case occurred in 1847 ; in that year a majority fell vacant in the 73rd Regiment stationed at the Cape of Good Hope ; Captain Baker, the senior for purchase, was promoted on the 12th of Novem ber ; he was killed on the 13th of the same month, and on the 11th of February, 1848, the promotion wee can smiled on the ground that Captain Baker could not have known of it at the time of his death, and had shed the functions of the superior rank. The next case warred in the army at Gallipoli. In August, 1854, Lieu tenant Skinner, of the 4th, purchased his company, but died on the 14th of September, before he knew of his pro motion: the appointment was uncoiled and the money returned. The next instance wee one with which Colonel Wilson might have been acquainted, as it occurred in that very regiment—the Coldstream Guards. A relative of his (General Peel's), Lieutenant Disbrowe, purchased his company, but was killed before he could have known of his promotion. An officer was brought in from the Rifie Brigade, and the money returned to Lieutenant Die browses family. The rule, therefore, adopted in Col. Mac kinnon's case was that uniformly followed, and he wu sure the house would wish to see it further extended. (Hear, hear.) If the hon. member wished he would next niter to the promotion of Lord Burghersh, as he thought that was a case in which Col. Harding. was badly treated. Colonel Crombie, an o ffi cer in the Coldstream Guards, re turned from the Crimea in October, 1864, in pursuance of the advice of a medical board, having suffered from *everts illness in Varna; on the Bth of December he applied to Lord Strafford to be placed on half-pay, in consequence of al iments, having been 30 years on full pay; Lord Strafford forwarded the application, with a recommendation that a lieutenant-colonel should be brought in from the half-pay list to sell, and let the step go in the regiment; Lord Hardinge could not at the moment find • lien:enantcolonisl on the half-pay list ready to come in; at the same time the lisittenantoolonel of the 61st Regiment was anxious to go en half-pay, and the officer of course wished the step to go in the regiment; on the 29th of Janu ary Colonel Crombie renewed his application, and Lord Harding. then allowed him to exchange into the 51st Regiment, and this made the step go in that regiment when the senior major had thirty years' service instead of in the Guards. Lord Burghersh was then brought into the Guards. He next came to the promotion of Col. Heeding% the circumstances of which no one could have satielpeted. The ale of the service was, that when three mond dicers died, the senior colonel on the list was pree mated to be major-general. It so happened after all these remotioss in the Coldstream Guards, that three general, officers died within a week between the 7th and 13th of February, and in consequence the senior colonel in the service—Colonel Upton, of the Coldstream Guards—was promoted to be majorgeneral. and Colonel Harding., in the dee erne of theservice, received his promotion without parclune. He *might he had nffittiestly explained a transaction to which the term Mandel bad been applied. (Lewd (sheen.) F a ts gentlemen iuffla r .. Mr. ha nwe P in E adt an— L yte, w t: oe s syn n a me s it t v uo e glady ..i.ivaieisiwded teyo...rmothiva t ehae h lcgpe a t oemti t me: aio h menr, te krini etni fasaalecc)l:ll:ktuotiehblsodwdeuegieesifeddhtui. the le * el Oesani member o u rul of that house soto cl . toe - e tery ma s it And gellan ow t f r as e i l hh a i ti ar v ed e l to ,,e p al r e e ire ct ha d ah e e h j i ah m ait , : for l iter the otit is hese— nct_esk whichend he a n s t y n e a ahwiaddi fcall to 'l s e t , dhi n sap o t t at h he a t ,: i t i h ea e wa r e t h ad led miji is nd him (Cheers.) With regard to the Bret question put to - lo' r to the appointment to the stiff of the relative of h' ir l friend behind him (Mr. Ewart), the house would e ls od -- what the hon. member fur Aylesbury had elated at r Imm o : land, which was established in order to make offiee in ma; ble of fulfilling the highest duties in the army, but H wh turn of those e- ho have token carat-ciao certificate at Sandhurst, and who have been placed ne." He then allowed it to be inferred that, as the officer i lion had a relative in the how whose views on n p" :to ' matters generally coincided wi th those of her ?dajes u ir o l - government, e d asr 1 i h w t ieucahl regarded d w,g i nfluence, tto been h s an d h P appg i o a n s e t e :hl i e ota t P o u t thihiel hadc4 lojop Major i q :t m u l a I t o s al. _ t el.:G: : isesbotnut ticacases t:pee: a ques ion regarding such an appointment wou ld be s • 141 ued to din. i at college, his experience of toe sad tiffierS fur the there was not a shadow of foundation for &eying jt e wo i owing to political iufluence, fir, it point of fact, he was aoe— pl_aced on the staff by any authority in this couidey. (Cheep.) When the first three was ab :tit to tell Lord Hardin. a Lord Raglan jointly selected the offirs ce to be plac e d on ft staff, but Lora Hardingo lett aft sulnequent uomisetioes es the general in command of the army. Caot. Lout was age pointed Deputy !enlist-ant-Adjutant Ocllcral , U the dike( September, 1854 ; on the 29th of December be was p to a regimental majority ; and, by a genteel order of the 12th of February, 1835, lie wee ordered to rtjoin hn tree ment for duty, and ceased to be on the staff. Tee govern. ment at home had nothing to do with his appointment. It was not true that only one officer who 'aid obtained a cern,- auto of merit bad been placed on ale staff; the eo n , maw her had been led into an error. A return bed been moved for of the names of all ufficere on the staff in the Crimea who had obtained certificates; the retain was presented, and afterwards his hon. friend (Mr. Event) ceded his attem tion to the omission of his relative's name; a supply mental return was, therefore, made to supply the omission, and the only name on it sres that of Major Ewalt, but the original return contailied the a lms of many Officer* now on the staff in the Crimes—(hear, hue) —ten or eleven, he believed. With regard to the multi* of the bon. member opposite (Mr. Baring), he need not sp. pear as the advocate of Lord Hardiuge—tnat task had btu undertaken by his gallant reletive; hut when he kind it said that the commander-in-chief of the army had acted ia a manner to which toe term scandalous was applied, he thought he was bound to give the b .use same iutormatica on the subject. (Hear, hear.) What was tee speech of the hon. gentleman at Liverpool ? He said: " Who ere thine who have gone up to the cannon's mouth l Your regime. tal officers and soldiers. Have they gAindi any npei titian but what the people of England gave them? I will give you an instance cf a Lend of mine, a gentleman who served through ail thae battles and distinguished himaeif greatly. He came over to this country sick and almost deed. There yore two tea above him—officers in one of the Guards regiments—eh hod never left Eoglenta. They were in .mbets of high families, and they were promoted without purchase; bet my friend was a poor Damaged they made him pay 3,00e9. for his commission. And why? Bscauee Lord Hardlogesna was next him, and got his commission oithout purchase." Everybody at first supp-sed the two officers meant we Dawkin and Strong. Wuat was the case with reptile them? They were both at Alma and Itketinauu—(chwav) —and neither could be said, in the invidious eto of the words, in which sense he leered they were used—(" hem, bear," and cheers]—to be of high families. The boa. gee tlenian since that was explained had drawn a didinction of rather a nice character; he said the officers he meant were not the neat above—(near, hear)—but were Burdett and Newdigate. What was the tact with regard to thim l They were promoted to fill death vacancies occurring at Venn; they were in this country it was true, but they wetenot here of their own common • (Cheers) Some oaken mast remain in this country, and he was sure they caandertd it a hardship. (Cheers.) If they laid down the rule that vacancies which occurred abroad shouid be filled by Amu who were on the spot, to tee exclusion of thou compelled to remain behind, they would do great mjustace to the latter. It was perfectly right and just teat thou efficers should b. appointed to fill those vacancies. (Hear, hear.) He next came to the case of Colonel Wilson ; that officer was not originally desirous to purchase, but when he found Dawkiss and Strong withdrew their names to take the chance of deaths, he wrote home to his friends to purchase if a matey occurred; he wished to get the step our their heath, se Iss was perfectly justified in doing so. Toe battle of Inkermenn took place, and Dowkine and Strong got the promotion. Colonel Mackinnon died, sad Wilson's friends purchased the step for him. Co lonel Wilson, however, thinks he had a claim to promotion without purchase, and says be did know of the rale ; but after tat preceden:e quoted there could be on doubt as to the existence of the rale, that wen an officer promoted died before the notificatico could reach the head (marten where he was serving in a subaltern rank, the promotion was cancelled, and the money paid for the com mission of which he never enjoyed the auvantage was re stored, and the vacancy given by purchase. Colonel Wilson being first tor purchase, cannot say he was ia any way prejudiced. (Hear, hear) He might hive re fused; if so, Colonel Hudiuge would have been gled top , chase over his head. Colonel Horditige derived no Inuit from the transaction. The hint gentleman had in hie letter o drawnu pa (guratO Peel) ua was i graduated sca l e o.lin fethz to s i,w theervizeofpw different ee mcers; he dent; he did not wish to say sorbing disperagiag to Colonel Wilson, but 1 e thougnt Colonel ilso dinge's services vet aid at least Lear comparison with his. Colonel Harding. was all through the campaign of the Sutlej ; he was preteut at Alcca end lowa mann. It was not necessary for him to go to the Crimea, as he belonged to the batten. to which rt mained this country ; but he requested permission to go out, and was thus enabled to take part in all the engagements. Hs should nest refer to the circumstance under which Colonel Hardinge got hoe lieut. colonelcy, in consequence of the pro motion of Col. Upton to the rank of major-general. Col. Upton being "(hin of his rank might have sold his core mission, in which cave the 'recency would have been disposed of by purchase, and Col. Hardinge would haw purchued it, but as he preferred to remain in the mein, not at the suggestion of Lord Hardinge, when he became a major-general Col. Hardinge succv e led to the unary without purchase, according to the established. rale. These were the plain and simple facts of the cams. The hon. gentleman said in his speech that honesty wee the best policy. (Cheers) He (Mr. Peel) believed the government of this country bad been, and is, carried oe te principles perfectly holiest and honourable. He gave the hon. gentleman credit for being an ?soma rue, but he thought he would have only acted the honest pert he would I expect from any member of the house it, when he wee shown that the statement he had made at Liverpool wad in accordance with the actual facts of the case, he had we conduct was as honourable, and as ready at any inomest to injuriouse to for p w a s b r l d ic an a men, en d , m w i h ttd h who were had ashuad honest, a ate t,s " , t dw asea boo t be laid before the public, and subjected to the severest scrutiny, as that of the hoe. gentleman or any other membm of the house. (Loud cheers.) Mr. LAYARD said—l will first, sir, address mrelf to the question of the hon. gentleman the member icr Dun• fries. I beg, sir, to assure the hon. gentleman that I did not mean to make any reflection on his relative, nor do I believe that • single person that heard me put that outran ' tion on my words. (Oh, oh.) The very fact that be had !taken • first•clars certificate was for toe sufci.nt tYIOIOOP that government had nothing to do with his appointment. (Oh, oh.) I meant no reflection cn him, and at the time I did not know he Well a relative of the hon. gentlemen. If I have fallen into error with regard to the return, I think the government ought to share the blame with me. (ON oh.) If the returns presented to this house are so Wolf drawn that gross omissions occur, the government ougbtlo share the blame. (Oh, oh.) I did not see the first return; the second fell into my hands, and I admit I was init.:neat of the previous one ; the second did not appear to be a est plemental return. Mr. PEEL—It was so beaded. (Cheers ) but if they had the same information as I have, Mr. LAYARD—I admit I made a mistake, as I did on see the first return. (Oh, oh.) The house may say, t h e y would see bow returns are worked up for the house to serve the purpose of government. If, by the omission of the asFe , I was led into error to a certain eitent, lam responsi ble only fur a share of what has occurred. Now, with te p id to the second statement, what are the facts? In the fit place, let me observe that these are matters of a eery painful and delicate nature, and there are very few men in Oa hens. who would get up and speak the truth on such assb jut. (Oh) Very few dare moot such question , o r s p eak the truth on such subjects. (" Oh, oh," and cheer!.)lf honourable gentlemen bad seen the letters and formation I have received within the last f ew , days —(cries of " read ")—no, I shall not read them—(rud Of " read," "name")—nee shall I give any name. 10 Hams them here would be ruin to thus officers, and yon know it. I stand here prepared to take the responsibility of what liss oeeurred, and what I stated, not of my own knowledge of the various rules applicable to promotion in the army, bat as matters of fact of which I had undoubted evid ence. am not going to betray those who gave it to me—it would be rein to them if it was known from what souroe„111 information came. With regard to the word " s trut will t I°l me say 1 did not mean anything offensive by it , given me by a military man. With regard to Colonel list oblige, with whom I bays the honour of a per• sonal acquaintance, I must say, that I do be* lieu that a more gallant or a more inefitrl officer does not exist in the service. (" Rear , hear; se " Oh.") Ile bar been distioguished in more than one battlefield, and there is no man who can more heartily Ivo him nooses, or to whom his promotion was more weir*. (Oh, oh.) It is very well for goatlemen to cry, " Oh, by ,ba: I state what I feel. I did not grudge him h is Pro•'''.6. What I did nay was, that as the promotion was eztoodod him, it ought to have been extended to others, altbar verbal* not so distinguished as he was. I hope the hoof! will auras' a few moments, end I think 1 have away their indulgence. The hon. and gallant officer read 110 l otters, but he did not read my answer to the last, General PESI4—I had not tooottod PRIVATE BUSINESS. NOLAND AND IRllliilli IMPROVED COMMIJ- Itialiiiiii BILL: . --------- ---- the above b ill was read a second time, after some dis suades. STATE OF THE NATION. Mr. LAYARD gave notice that, on an early day, he would move the following resolutions : "That this house views with deep and increasing con cern the actual state of the nation. "That whilst at all times the affairs should be entrusted to those best qualified to disobeys the duties imposed upon them, it is the more necessary that it should be so at a moment of great national emergency. "That the manner in which merit and efficiency haw been sacrificed to party and family influences, and to a Ned adherence to routine in the appointments to the great atom of state, and to posts in diplomacy, the army, and other branches of the public service, is opposed to the best in terests of the State, hes already given rise to grave misfor tunes, threatens to bring discredit upon the national cha racter, Mad to involve the country in ocelots disasters. " That this house will give its best support to any ministry which in the present emergency shall propose to itself, as its main object, the efficiency of the public service in every branch, and the vigorous prosecution of the war as the only means of securing an honourable and luting peace." ("Hear, hear," and laughter ) of public SIR J. BROOKE. Mr. F. SCOTT wished to ask whether the reports of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the posit on and prooeedings of Sir Jima Brooks will be laid before Parlia ment prior to the Whitsuntide ream ? LordPALMERSTON said there would be no objection to lay the papers on the table, but be could not name any day for it. TORTURE IN MADRAS. Mr. or waif wished to ;:kWiZi;7inntructions had been sent to Lord Harris to transmit to this country the re port of the commimionen appointed to examine into the existents, of torture in Madras; and. if so, whether that re port would be delivered to inemben b3fore the maim Indian statement is made ? Mr. V. SMITH said that the report had not been trans mitted home yet. When it arrived he would communicate it to the hones ss soon ss possible. THE NEW FLOATING BATTERIES. - -- -- .. - --- --- - --- ------. Mr. HUTCHINS wished to ask whether the screw pro peller reads for the new floating batteries had not been bond inanficient: and whether the batteries bad not been again placed in dock to have another screw to each added ? Sir C. WOOD was not aware that they bad been island inrailleient, and certainly they had not been taken back into I dock *gain. PENSIONS TO OFFICERS' WIDOWS. General WYNDSAIL wished to ult wh,ther any end what arrangements has been made for granting pensions to the widows of the general and other °Seen who have been killed is the Crimea ? kr. F. PEEL said he was not aware of as new arrange ment for the granting of pinions to the widows of officers killed in action; but • new warrant woold soon be pro. malgated for granting pensions to the widows of officers 1 who died from exponre. (lieu.) EDUCATION BILL. Mr. MILES wiah;dto uk tM right hos. nerabar for Droitwiah whether it was his isolation to nabs as alters- Use la sowitattao is bit bill for dr batter easawnigonsst of easeedie la beige* mai Weiss. la the verde bjeldei he Ss Wee maul ler eilesstitsal purposes, by hid tor sake mi llir J. P INGTON said that 27b4; the ha i rti n hip it be w would those parishes wide) had already dad solleiffle asses et 'deistic. midis their eta its, to all es them te make up the bleitedie if ethic perish's, he should propose that the Ming he a pereshial red est a silos ruin. (Hear.) He eight ass as that he lateaded to brie, ea the speond feeble at the bill es Wednesday POLICE OF TOWNS (SCOTLAND). Mr. eIIOLLETT wheat la ask whether it was the fatali ties& of government to lairoSese, to ''as the present ses sion, as y mason foe the asissimat ths Net 18th and 14th 01 Victoria, ;.bap. SS (Omni Police of Torras in Soselsad) ? The LORD ADVOCATE said that ha lad a bill pre. Pniedirislaregatd tw4holivatth of tawas tit lloodand, iato whiell wealtl fat:ohm dames baring Tatum» to tho polio,. VALUATION (IRELAND). Viewiant BERNARD wished to ask ths Solioltor-Gasasal foe Inland whether a bill was in cause of prerilaila W •