The Press. — London, England, 1858-07-03 00:00:00

63 TO CORRESPONDENTS. - - It to impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive `Their insertion is often delayed owing to a press of matter, and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. Communications should always be legibly written. and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion mustbe authenticated by th name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publics Lion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. z 4) t 10 rtg g• LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1858. POSTSCRIPT. LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. HOUSE OF LORDS. PRIVATE BUSINESS. A lengthened discussion took place respecting the Wellington Monument and the Victoria and Pimlico Railway. CHURCH-RATES. The second reading of the Church.rates Abolition Bill was moved by The Duke of SOMERSET, who urged in much detail various arguments against perpetuating an impost which had now become altogether obsolete, and which, while it did not afford means for the mainte nance of churches, proved a constant source of dis pute and controversy in a multitude of parishes throughout the country. Lord ST. LEONARDS opposed the bill. No one, he said, was more anxious thin himself for the settle ment of the question, but the plan proposed was simply the demand on a creditor to sign a receipt without giving the amount in payment. He moved as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day three months. Lord Wodehouse and the Duke of Newcastle sup ported the bill, which was opposed by the Duke of Marlborough and Lord Wensleydale. The Earl of DERBY contended that the bill de• prived the Church of a right and exempted the payers of the rate from a duty imposed upon them by the law. The impost fell altogether upon the land, which had been purchased or inherited subject to the charge, and the proprietors could there foie establish no claim to its remission. Under the voluntary system he doubted whether sufficient means could he provided for• the regular maintenance and repair of the churches. Contributions could be easily obtained for any sudden and pressing purpose, but it was almost impossible to cbtain regular subscriptions for a permanent object year after year. The agitation in favour of repeal was, he believed, essentially due to a political motive, its advocates, under pretext of removing an obnoxious impost, designing to strike a blow against the Establishment, to level the dignity and impair the power of the Church of England. Admitting, however, that the subject had given rise to much dispute, and was surrounded with many difficulties, Lord Dei by proceeded to examine the possibility of devising some equivalent for the Church-rate, and among the measures of this description suggested that a substitute might be pro vided l* enabling the landowners to effect a voluntary commutation of the rite into a rent charge on their estates, or to invest an amount of capital sufficient to provide the requisite income for the purpose to which the Church-rate was at present applied. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY also opposed the bill, being unwilling io leave the Church dependent upon charity for the maintenance of its fabrics. Earl GnixviLLE argued that the retention of the Church-rate was an injury to the Church Establish ment, as furnishing its enemies with a powerful weapon of attack. Ile rejoiced to hear a proposal from the Prime Minister for providing some means of commuting the impost, and recommended the house to agree to the second reading, with the view of introducing into committee amendments to carry that proposition into effect. The Bishop of LONDON stated that although large sums had been raised without difficulty for building churches in Bethnal Green, the greatest possible difficulty was experienced in getting funds to keep them in repair. Earl GREY, who opposed the bill, maintained that the abolition of the rate constituted a robbery on the Church, and an injury to the poorer classes, who enjoyed a prescriptive right to the free enjoyment of the privilege afforded by their parochial churches. Lord PORTMAN supported the bill. After S9IIIC remarks from the Bishop of Oxr•or.n, n opposition to the measure, and from Lord STAN LEY of ALDERLEY, in its favour, their lordships idivided 1. THE PRESS, JULY 3, 1858. Contents—Present Proxies 6-30 Non•Contents—Present Proxies 7B-187 151 Majority The bill was con-equently rejected Their lordships adjournA at half•paat one. HOUSE OF COMMONS. INDIA GOVERNMENT RILL. At an early sitting of the house, the consideration in committee of the India Government Bill was re. burned, at clause 13. Oa this clause, which pro. vided salaries of 1,200/. per annum for the members of Council, Mr. Couraws moved an amendment reducing the amount to 500/. On a division, the amendment was negatived by a majority of 224 to 57-017. Several subsequent clauses were discussed and adopted before the sitting was suspended. In the evening, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, alleging his anxiety to curry the India Government Bill through committee, proposed that the usaal motion for ad journing over until Monday should be postponed, with the view of holding a meeting this day (Saturday), should it be requisite to proceed with the measure. Some questions, of which notice had been given, on the motion for adjournment, were nevertheless brought forward. Among others, GUANO. Mr. CAIRD inquired whether any steps had been taken to obtain from the Peruvian Government some mitigation of the present exorbitant prices charged to English consumers for guano. Mr. S. FITZGERALD stated that the Peruvian authorities had just consented to reduce the price of guano from 131. 15s. to 12/. per ton, which would save the British agriculturist 400,0001. a year, and had further promised to impose hereafter no higher price upon the article in this country than was charged in the United States. THE THAMES. Mr. 11. BERKELEY asked the Chief Commissioner of Works whether he had received any communica tion from the Metropolitan Board of Works respect ing the main drainage of the metropolis ; and, if se, whether it was proposed that the outfall of sewage should take place on the north side of Balking creek, nearly opposite the warren at Woolwich, or where else? Lord J. MANNERS said that on the previous day a plan for the drainage of London had been received from the Metropolitan Board of Works which wou:d receive the prompt and careful consideration of her Majesty's Ministers. INDIA. The house ngain resolved itself into committee, and proceeded to discuss some further clauses of the India Government bill. Colonel SYKES proposed the omission of clause 27, which vested in the Secretary of State the powers now exercised by the secret committee. After some debate ►he amendmeut was negatived by 119 to 05-24. The remaining clauses were then passed after a long and miscellaneous discussion. Some additional clauses having to be discussed, the committee was then adjourned to Monday evening. The house adjourned at one o'clock. GREAT FIRE AT rHE LONDON DOCK. ABOUT noon on Tuesday a most destructive fire broke out in the London Dock. The fire raged for several hours, accompanied by tremendous explosions, and one iran has List his life. It was about ten minutes to twelve when the die lovery was made, and intelligence of the fact instantly spread through the dock, and the dock police and fire brigade immediately repaired to the spot with their land and two floating engines, but some delay was encountered in consequence of the crowded state of the quay and roadway between the warehouse and basin and the shipping that were lying alongside the Souttrquay. Several lengths of hose and branches were laid on to different lire cocks, and the firemen and labourers, of whom there were a vast number, exerted themselves to their utmost in endeavouring to check the progress ot the conflagration. In the meantime it had gained prodigiously. Descending to the lower floors (each of which was 120 by 50 feet, and where we understand were stored hundreds of tons of jute, hemp, oil, tallow, and rice, sugar in bags, chests, and hogsheads, spices, dyes, saltpetre, and many other articles) its progress was fierce and terrific, and the heavy clouds of black smoke which rose from all parts completely darkened the river and neighbourhood.T he powerful steam floating engines of the brigade, stationed in the Themes, very oppor tunely arrived. They were hauled into the Wapping basil', and brought to tl u edge of the South-quay, along which the hose was laid, and by means ot con necting joints additional hose were added,some taken on to the roofs of the adjoining divisions, others into the floor, while the main jets were directed into the burning division. Although an immense mass of water was being thrown from some twenty branches —those of the dock and brigade floating engines alone throwing from fifteen to sixteen tons per minute—the flames advanced and seemed to spread with redoubled fury. By one o'clock the whole of the floors of the division were involved in one general blaze, each window and loophole emitting over whelming clouds of the densest black smoke. Slight rumbling explosions within the immense area were now heard, evidently resulting from the ignitjon of some inflammable combustible. - --- - As already stated, among the goods in the huitt.tag was saltpetre, said to be in bags; the exact quantity,. however, no one seemed to know, or the exact place where it was stowed. That there must have been a large stock was evident to have produced such a fearful result. At about twenty minutes past one a very loud explosion took pla , ;e, succeeded by another, it' any thing of a heavier character. It was apparent from the excited state of the dock workpeople that a greater explosion was dreaded. A cry was raised, " Run ! it's the saltpetre." The sudden expansion of a vivid white flame from the division which preceded the shocks confirmed in a measure their fears. A general movement of ail near and along the quays had just commenced when three tremendous et• plosions occurred. The effect was appalling. An immense sheet of fire shot almost half-way across the basin, and the heavy concussion that shook the earth led to a belief that the whole range of the South Stack was coming down. The centre division was blown to atoms. The fiont and back walls, of great thickness, were thrown outwards and fell, — that at the rear on to some shed stores near the Wapping basin. Every one was panic-stricken for the moment, and the rush to escape was almost beyond description. It is asserted that one or more labourers perished beneath the walls as they were blown out, but it will be impossible to make a search for some time. A number of men were injured by falling bricks, but none, we are happy to say, seriously. The person who lost his lite, as above stated, was one cf the warehouse keepers, who died in the act of taking a cup of tea and some slight refreshment, after, as he thought, the worst was over. Whether his death was caused by excitement apoplexy, or choking, has not been ascertained. It was not till near six o'clock that the fire was arrested. The brigade bad succeeded in preventing it from penetrating to the remaining divisions of the stack warehouses. The fire had got hold of a fourth division, and the upper floors and roof were destroyed, but hopes were entertained that the lower part might be saved. The body of fire that still remained was very great, the smoke that poured fourth from the division on the other side of the gap leading to an impression that the flames had reached that portion of the range. That, however, was erroneous. The total loss must be very great; some accounts compute i t at upwards of 150,0001. The warehouses are covered by several large insurances, effected in almost every flue-office in the kingdom, and the merchandize was protected by floating policies. SECOND EDITION. SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. The Morning Post, second edition, states, in its Paris letter, that the Constantinople correspondent of the Pays represents the policy of the Sultan to be on the eve of a complete change, and more in ac cordance with the desires of France. The secret treaty between England, Austria, and the Porte still forms a topic for German newspaper correspondents. The treaty, it is said, is not yet signed, or at least it will not be put in force unless in the case of certain eventualities, so that in the meantime the English Government may deny its existence, if any awkward questions are asked in Pat hams nt. In the War Committee of the Chamber of Repre sentatives of Belgium, it was decided on Wednesday, by a majority of six votes to one, that the system proposed by the Government for the national defence of Antwerp cou:d not be agreed to. The bill for the future government of India having passed through committee last night, will probably be sent up to the House of Lords Wore the close of next week. A bill for the purification of the Thames is also to be immediately presented. When these two measures are completed, Parliament will rise. The proroga tion may be expected to take place between the 21st and 24th of the present month. S