The Press. — London, England, 1853-07-16 00:00:00

a line-of-battle ship, entitled another to nothing but the name of admiral with some additional pay on the retired list. Detailing other consequences, real or possible, which he said were equally unjust to the officers and injurious to the public service, the Earl of Hardwicke urged the necessity of undertaking a task which, if the late Government had remained in office, he had contemplated doing himself, namely. that of revising the circular of June Issl, whereby the promotions and retirements of naval officers were at present regulated. In a conversation which followed, the Earl of HADDINOTON remarked upon the difficulty of the question, in which it was so much easier to detect evils than to provide remedies; and Earl TALBOT ac knowledged the extreme dissatisfaction given by the present system to the naval service generally. The Earl of Aezuoiam, confessing his own incompetence to offer a suggestion, or even to understand the matter thoroughly, engaged that Sir James Graham should bestow upon it his most deliberate considera tion, and the subject was allowed to drop. THE MAIN TAX. Mr. BALL, at the Tuesday evening sitting, moved the resolution, which headed the motion paper for the night, relative to the malt tax : "That this house resolve itself into a committee for the pur. pow of considering the duties on malt, with a view of making such alteration in those duties that the fanner may he exempt from the malt duty on such quantity of malt as he may requi►e for hid own use, made from 'barley of his own growth." The house was exceedingly thin at the time, inso much that a " count out " had been attempted just before Mr. Ball rose. No remarks were therefore sided by the hon. member, who sat down at once amid general calls for a division. Sir J. V. SHELLEY, accusing the ministers of a de sign to deprive independent members of their only night, by contriving to make " no house," refused to interpose, as he wished to give them a lesson. lie seconded the motion without a speech. Mr. GLADSTONE, entering just in time to forestal the division, proceeded to answer arguments which he had not heard, and which had not been offered. His principal reliance was, however, upon a report of Dr. Mayfair and other scientific philosophers, wherein, he said, it was shown, partly by analysis, and partly by direct experiment, that malt was a lase nutritious food for cattle than the original barley. Insisting upon the importance of this conclusion, as proving that the boon offered to the farmer by the present resolution would be of no use to him, he added some remarks upon the loss, trouble, and risk of evasion which it would entail upon the public ex chequer. A division being taken immediately after the ter mination of Mr. Gladstone's speech, the Govern ment succeeded in negativing the motion by a narrow majority of four votes, the numbers being—For, 09; Against, 73. MEDICAL RELIEF. Mr. MILES, on Tuesday, called the attention of the house to the system of poor-law medical relief in England and Wales. He thought that there were great abuses in the present system, which, if the Government were not at present prepared to remedy, they might take into consideration during the recess. The medical officers were very ill-paid, and occa sionally incompetent, and it would, among other re forms, be important to appoint medical inspectors. Statistics would clearly prove that numbers of the poor were driven into the poor-law unions to gain that medical attendance which is denied to them at home, from their want of means. On this point he recommended a system of relief to the secondary poor who did not require parochial relief in any other form. Mr. BAINES expressed his belief that the poor did not lack medical relief. Whatever might be the faults of the present system, it was in this particular vastly superior to the former one. During the last few years there had been a large and gradual in crease in the costs of medical relief, and a propor tionate increase in the number of medical officers. The appoinUuent of medical inspectors would only involve unnecessary expenditure without producing any adequate beneficial results. He must oppose the motion, but would give to some of the sugges tions which had been made his most careful con sideraiion. Sir J. Trousers confirmed Mr. Baines's state ment as to the improvement of the system of medical treatment of the pauper. He remarked upon the advantage the secondary poor derived from their medical chtbs, a system which Mr. Miles's plan would discourage. After some further discussion the subject was dropped. AIERCHANT SEAMEN'S BIM The committal of this bill was re mined at a morn ing sitting on Tuesday, when the amendment proposed by Captain Scots?ll to the •211th clause was agam discussed. The clause permits the navigation of British vessels by wholly foreign crews, and the gallant member had moNed its total omission from the bill. THE PRESS. Admiral WALCOTT, MT. INGHAM, and some other members, now advocated the amendment, variously arguing iliat the effect of the clause would be to endanger the naval supremacy of England, and to injure and disgust the seamen now engaged in the mercantile marine. _ _ Sir G. PECIIELL, Mr. BUNT.Or, and Mr. Dronit SEvxoun supported the clause, which the hon. mem ber last named considered " the redeeming feature of the bill." Sir J. GRAHAM, as First Lord of the Admiralty, recognised the duty of watching over the interests of the naval service. lie contended, however, that the clause in question would do good to the navy. Except in the prospect of some such measure, setting free the mercantile marine from its former shackles, he could not have felt justified in proposing the late increase of pay and other advantages to the seamen of the Royal Navy : " Nothing would have induced him to propose to Parlia ment the increase of pay in her Majesty's service, and of those advantages which the house had liberally accorded, if it had not been agreed that the repeal of the manning Anises should be brought forward. For what was the fart? If her Majesty's service wanted to obtain the ser vices of seamen, while the amount of labour was restricted, one consequence must ensue--the Queen's service would bid against the merchant service, and the price would be extravagantly raised, when the supply was not increased in the slightest degree. (Hear, hear.) He thought the pro position most judicious to couple the increase of advan tages in the Queen's service with the repeal of these clauses, but he thought it would be in the highest degree injudicious to increase the advantages of the Queen's ser vice, if these clauses were to remain. Certainly he was satisfied that, if the house did not agree to repeal those clauses, the sole effect of the increase of pay would be thrown away, and there would be no increase whatever in the supply of seamen to her Majesty's service, but there would be a great enhancement of wages, highly injurious to the merchant service. (Hear, hear.)" Mr. W. WILLIAMS, although a well-tried Free-trader, confessed his belief that the clause "went a little too far." Admiral BERKELEY stated his conviction that the measure in question would not injure the service. The navy would not, in future years, have to depend upon the mercantile marine, but upon the boys educated for the public service. Mr. HUDSON also supported the clause. Mr. HENLEY observed upon the general tendency of recent acts passed in reference to the mercantile marine, and contended that increasing discourage ment had been given to English sailors to serve in English ships and to boys to enter for that service. We were gradually cutting off the supplies of seamen which we had heretofore drawn from the merchant ships. Mr. CARDWELL admitted that the question was one of wages, and could not see how the proposal could be opposed on principle by the adherents of free trade. Protection could not he extended to the seaman while free trade was adopted in the case of the shipowner, and he thought the present time an advantageous ono for the proposed alteration. Some further discussion was closed by a division, when the amendment was negatived by a majority of 142 to 39. The 29th and some following clauses were then passed before the house adjourned until the evening. St:ccIiSSIONS BILL. This bill came on again on Thursday "to he con sidered as amended," when some further changes were made, or suggested, in its details. An amendment. by Mr. B.tnitow for excepting money secured on heritable property in Scotland was acceded to by the ClitAxeri.i.•ot of the ExeumotTEs. Mr. MULLINOB moved au amendment to the 21st clause, the effect of which was to substitute the rate of the old legacy duties for that provided by the act. The CHAWELLOR of the EXCHEQUER resisted the amendment, and defended the calculations upon which the tables in the present act had been based. The amendment was negatived. Mr. W. WH.1.1131s moved to omit the provision for dividing the duty into eight instalments. The CtuseEt.t.ott of the EXCHEQUER admitted that, in strictness of principle, the arrangement might be open to objection ; but he showed the hardships that would arise from compelling a single and immediate payment, and observed that it was intended that the duty should be paid, not out of capital, but out of income. This amendment was also negatived. Mr. 3 !masa s moved an amendment to the effect : "That in estimating the duty no timber or wood should b. in cluded which might have been disposed of by his successor iu exchange for timber used hi building or repairs on the property comprised iu the suree=otion, or for the protect* thereof, and that allowauee should be made for the amount paid by the suc cessor for ail timber purchased for such repairs." Considerable discussion followed, in which the So- LICITOR •GENEUAL expressed his willingness to intro duce a modified provision with a similar bearing, but the amendment was pressed to a division and nega tived by 114 to 72. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL introduced his qualified proviso. SATURDAY, Mr. Mutuxos moved another amendment for exempting muniments of title from the clause pro viding for the inspection of documents. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQI•ER resisted the amendment, which, after considerable discussion, was rejected by 132 to 100. The bill, having passed the " consideration" stage, was ordered to stand for the third reading on Mon day next. SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES BILL. The second reading of this measure was moved on Thursday by Lord Er.ctio, and opposed by Sir R. H. Imais, who declared it to be a violation of the terms of union between England and Scotland. The exist ing law he considered much better suited to the cir cumstances of the country. He moved an amend ment that the bill be read a second time that day six months. This amendment was supported by Mr. Locratairr, and resisted by Lord Et.ctio, who pronounced the opposition to the bill unjust and unreasonable. The present tests, instead of being a bulwark, were a snare and a danger to the Church of Scotland—a snare, because it would lead the Church to rely upon the law for its support rather than upon the good feeling and attachment of the people ; and a danger, because their maintenance was calculated to unite all the persuasions against it. In the course of the discussion which followed Mr. NEWDEOATE contended that it would be far better to abolish all tests than to propose a declaration, under which chairs in the Protestant Universities of Scot land could be held by Roman Catholics or Infidels. The principle had already been adopted by the tier• man schools and turned out a miserable failure. Sir G. GREY remarked that these objections re flected upon the religious character of the people of Scotland, who had expressed their approval of the measure. On a division the amendment was rejected by a majority of 106 to 17, and the bill read a second time. SIMONY. The ruljourried debate on the Simony Law Amend ment Bill was resumed on Wednesday, when Lord OODERICH strongly advocated the principle of the measure. Mr. G. Burr, denouncing the bill as an infringe ment upon property, moved that it be read a second time that day three months. Sir G. GREY, announcing also the Ministerial in tention to oppose the bill, which he said effected but an infinitesimal change in a law requiring much more comprehensive alterations, Lord GopEuler( declined to press a division, and the second reading was negatived by consent. COUNTY-RATES RILL. This bill was withdrawn on Wednesday by Mr. MILNER GinsoN upon an assurance from Lord PAL MERSTON that t he Government intended to bring in a measure upon the subject next session. sOLDIERs' ACcOUTIREMENTS. TAM W. 6 i imixn asked the Secretary at War whether any measures are in progress, or under consideration, fur altering the dress or diminishing the weight of the accoutrements of the in fantry soldier? Mr. 11Elitir.ItT replied, that experiments; were hieing made daily by order of Lord Seaton, et Cholohein emit, to effect the improve ments to which the noble lord alluded. SOAP 111" TIES. Mr. Mimeos having asked whether it was still the intention of Government to prohibit the Irish soup-manufacturers from ex porting soap from Ireland into England, while the English manutiteturers were left at liberty to export their temp to Ireland? Mr. WILSON replied, that some time ago he Mt it his duty to explain to the house that in consequence of a determination on the pert of the soap-manufacturers to export soap previous to the sth ofJuly, for the purpose of receiving a drawback, and then import, it afterwards free of duty, the Govennuent had deter mined to postpone for another year the reduction of the foreign duty. He also said, if the warning he then gave should have au effect, he would be prepared to alter the bill, and allow the duties to take effect from the present time. lie was happy to state that the warning had had the desired effect, and that the quantity ex ported for the purposes he bad mentioned was so trifling that he would not be justified in continuing it as proposed. Orders had therefOre been given to allow the exportation of soap front Ire land free, and that immediately. CONTROVERTED ET.ECTIONS. Mr. Paine', Mr. Walpole, and Mr. Patten have been appointed members of the General Committee on Controverted Eleetimis, in lien of Sin!. Trollope, tilt F. Baring, and Mr. butheron, wlio had resigned. ortign an/a Colonial nttiligngt. [From our men Correspondent.] PARIS, July 14. The Moniteur has this morning broken the signi ficant silence it has hitherto observed touching the second circular of M. de Nesselrode. It publishes simultaneously this note addressed to the representa tives of Russia at foreign Courts on the affairs of tits) East with the Ministerial note sent by the Russian Government to its agents on the same subject. This publication is accompanied by the following circular from the Cabinet of the Emperor Napoleon III.: " Paris, June 25, 1i5.59. " Sir,--The Cabinet of St. Petersburg, in publishing the circular despatch which thy Cuunt de ISttselrede, by vrdet