The Press. — London, England, 1858-07-31 00:00:00

triciignit in Vartifitiitt: 'i HOUSE OF COMMONS—..SATURDAY. The house met to•day to forward certain bills. On the order for going into committee on the Probates and Letters of Administration Act Amend ment Bill, Lord 1:10111/01 moved to defer the committee until Monday. The ATTORNEYZENERAL stated his views and ins tentions with reference to the bill and to the proposed a mendments. The motion was, after some discussion, negatived, upon a division, by 42 to 17, and the house went into comm itt e e upon the bill, which was amended in some of as provisions. 'fi l e house then went into committee upon the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill, which was likewise amended, several new clauses being added. The Metropolis Local Management Act Amend ment Bill was read a third time and passed, after some observations by Mr. Coningham, Mr. S. Wortley, Lord Ebrington, and Sir C. Burrell. Certain other bills were also read a third time and passed. The house adjourned at a quarter past three o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS-MONDAY. THE TURNER PICTURES. The Earl of DERBY, in reply to Lord St. Leonards, stated that the Government would use its best exertions to fulfil the obligation attached to the bequest by the late Mr. Turner of pictures to the nation. The Atlantic Telegraph Company Bill was read a third time. The Cornwall Submarine Mines Bill was read a second time. THE RIGHT OF VISIT. Lord LYNDHURST asked the Foreign Secretary whether he was prepared to lay on the table or the house the correspondence with the American Go vernment with respect to the right of visit. There was a belief in some quarters that we had surren dered a most valuable and impottant right. We had done no such thing. We had abandoned the assump tion of a right, and in so doing bad acted justly, prudently, and wisely. He quoted various high au thorities to show that the right of visit never existed legally. The Earl of MALHESBURY, in renly, stated that her Majesty's Government had no objection to lay the correspondence, so far as it, went, on the table. The opinion of the law officers of the Crown was taken before a reply was sent to the note of General Cass. That opinion coincid..id with the views just expressed icy Lord L.ndhurst. As the question now stood, the English Government bad abandoned the right of search and visit, and the American Government had agreed to entertain and consider in a fair spirit any suggestions to obtain security against the fraudulent adoption of the American flag. The French Go vernment had been communicated with, and was ready, and even anxious, to assist us in attaining that object. The Earl of ABERDEEN stated that the whole question was virtually settled when he was at the Foreign-office in 1842 and 1843. THE LAW OF COPYRIGHT. Lord LYNDHURST presented petitions from the Society of Arts, from the Royal Institution of British Artists, and from a great number of artists, praying for the extension of the law of copyright. After enumerating a number of facts to point out the necessity of such extension, he moved that a com mittee for the purpose should be appointed, and the members named at once. The motion was at once acceded to. SPECIAL SERVICES BILL. The Earl of \VIGILLow asked the Bishop of London whether this bill bad been withdrawn in the House of Commons with bis sanction. Also, whether it was true that Westminster Abbey was about to be closed. The Bishop of LONDON knew little of what took place in the other house. He recommended Lord • Wicklow to read the printed correspondence on the subject. W es tmi ns t er was not within his jurisdic tion. The Dean and Chapter acted entirely on their own responsibility. There was no connection between the Westminster Abbey services and those f Exeter•hall. The Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The County Property Conveyance Bill went through committee. The following bills were read a third time end passed;—The Four Courts (Dublin) Extension ;the Enclosure of Lands; the Sheep, Jo., Contagious Diseases Prevention ; the Turnpike Acts Conti:m imeo; and the Vaccination (Iceland). GOVEENXENZ OS NEW nelancatta BILL. The Eatl of CARNARVON moved the second reading of this bill. 1-11 *P RE SS, 4iTis 61, . .1858. After a few words from the Duke of NEWCASTLE and Lord WODEHOUSE, the bill was read a second time. WRECK OF THE " CANDACE." Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY wished to know whe ther the Board of Trade intended to institute an inquiry respecting the loss of the Candace. The Earl of DONOUGHMORE said that the reasons why no inquiry was thought necessary were, that the master was dead, and the Board of Trade was satisfied that the ship was properly furnished in every respect. Lord STANLEY Of ALDERLEY said such grounds were not sufficient to justify the Board of Trade in making no inquiry in a case in which a ship had been lost. The provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act would become a dead letter. The Police (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Fisheries (Scotland) Bill passed through committee. The Medical Practitioners Bill and the Public Health Bill were read a third time and passed. The Clerk of Petty Sessions (Ireland) Bill was read a second time. The Commons' Amendments in the Bishops' Trusts Substitution Bill were considered and agreed to. The following bills were brought up from the House of Commons and read a first time :—Metro polis Local Management Act Amendment Bill, Consolidated Fund Appropriation Bill, Militia Pay Bill, Militia Servics Abroad Act Continuance Bill, Militia Act Continuance Bill, Corrupt Practices Pre• vention Act Continuance Bill, Civil Bills (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill, and New Writs Bill. The Earl of DERBY intimated that it would be convenient if the house met for a short time on Wed nesday, to pass several bills through unopposed stages. Their lordships then adjourned at nine o'clock. HOUSE OE COMMONS-MONDAY. THE ADMISSION OF BARON ROTHSCHILD. At the morning sitting, Baron L. N. De Roths child, introduced by Lord J. Russell and Mr. J. A. Smith, presented himself at the table to be sworn. A copy of the new oath being offered to him, he stated to the Speaker that he had a conscientious objection to taking the oath in the form tendered to him, and he was thereupon requested to withdraw. L .rd J. Russ Eu. then moved a resolution in con formity with the act, to the effect that the Baron, a person professing the Jewish religion, was pre vented from sitting and voting in the house by reason of his conscientious objection to take the oath in the form required by the act. After some remarks by Mr. WARREN, the resolution was agreed to. Lord J. RUSSELL then moved a further resolution, likewise in pursuance of the act,— That any person professing the Jewish religion may henceforth, on taking the oath prescribed in an act of the present session of Parliament to entitle him to sit and vote in this house, omit the words, "and 1 make this declare. tion upon the true faith of a Christian." Mr. WARREN said he should take the sense of the house upon this resolution. Lord Homan opposed the resolution, which was supported by Mr. HADFIELD. Mr. WALPOLE, reiterating his opinion, that this was a religious rather than a political question, said he could not be a party to the resolution. If Jews were to be admitted, it should have been in a frank, honest manner: Mr. SPOONER and Mr. NEWDEGATE spoke against the motion, which was supported by Mr. Fox, who regretted that the claims of the Jews bad not been admitted upon the broad ground of religious liberty. Lord J. RresELi. made or Mirfloilaarks in reply to Mr. Walpole, aud, upon a division, the resolution was carried by 69 to 37. Baron ROTHSCHILD then reappeared at the table, and, having been sworn upon the Old Testament, took his seat. CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION ACT CONTINUANCE E On the order for the third reading of this bill, Mr. H. BERKELEY moved to defer the third reading till that day six weeks, on the ground that the act had been an utter failure, and that the present bill would be a source of corruption and intimidation. Mr. A. SMITH opposed the bill, which was supported by Mr. WHITESIDE. Lord B. CECU. condemned the plan of carrying the voter to the poll instead of the poll to the voter, which was the true solution of the difficulty. Mr. T. Dtmocutsx offered various objections to the bill, which be hoped the Lords would reject. Mr. Kamirri.Ev objected to the withdrawal of the fourth clause. Lord .1. RUSSELL thought it would have been better to have a mere Continuance Bill than to raise the I question as to the conveyance of voters. Mr. ROEBUCK believed that the bill would suggest doubts instead of rendering the law certain. 735 Mr. RICH urged the Government to withdraw the bill, and to substitute a simple Continuance Bill. Mr. Wasor,r. replied to objections, and, upon a division, the third reading was carried by 93 to 80 and for the passing of the bill the majority was the same—namely, 33. This terminated the morning sitting. In the evening, Mr. WALPOLE stated that it was not the intention of the Government to proceed with the Ecclesias tical Commission Bill; and, after some conversation, the order for its committal this day was discharged, and the bill was withdrawn. On the consideration of the Lords' amendments of the Universities (Scotland) Bill, Mr. DUNLOP moved that the house disagree with the most important of these amendments, and this motion, after a short debate, was agreed to without any division. The Judgments (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Lords' amendments of the Stipendiary Magis trates, tee., Bill, the Titles to Land (Scotland) Bill, and the Sale and Transfer of Land (Ireland) Bill were considered and agreed to. On the order for the second reading of the Er a dowod Schools Law Amendment Bill, Mr. DILLWYN: after explaining the object be had in view in intro ducing the bill, moved to discharge the order, which was agreed to, and the bill was withdrawn. The Law of Property Amendment Bill was also, on the motion of the ATTORNEY GENERAL, withdrawn. The International Patent Right Bill and the Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. The New Writs Bill, the Probates and Letters of Administration Act Amendment Bill, and the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. HARBOURS OF REFUGE. Mr. Wn.scie called attention to the Report of the Select Committee upon Harbours of Refuge, and moved an address for a royal commission of inquiry in the terms recommended in that report. He dwelt upon the loss of life and property which he attributed to the crowded state of our waters, and, adverting to the great increase of our shipping and the pro gressive development of our trade, he urged that tFe evil would increase in proportion unless a remedy I a provided, by the augmentation of the number of harbours and places of refuge for vessels. He thought the expenditure of about 2,000,0001. would be a moderate outlay for the purpose, considering that property to the amount of 1,500,0001. and 800 lives were sacrificed every year. The motion was seconded by Mr. LINDSAY. Lord A. V. TEMPEST supported the motion, urging the importance of having a commission impartially constituted. Sir J. PAKINOTON said he had already stated that it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to grant this conitnission, which be thought the result of the inquiry and the able report of the committee fully justified. The commissioners would be both competent and impartial. Mr. M'Cies moved to amend the motion by in structing the commissioners to extend their inquiry as to the harbour of Skerries, in the county of Dublin, as regards its capabilities and circumstances as a site foi a harbour of refuge. After some debate, no member opposing the motion, it was agreed to; the amendment was with drawn. The house adjourned at a quarter before ten o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS—TUESDAY. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL. This bill was read a third time. On the question that it do pass, Lord REDESDALE drew attention to clause 44, with respect to the prevention of smoke, subject to the qualification that it should not extend to various processes enumerated —among others the making or burning of bricks, earthenware, quarries, tiles, or pipes, &c. Experience had proved that the potteries on the south side of the river had no ground for exemption. He moved that the whole of the qualifi cations should be omitted from the clause. The Duke of NEWCASTLE suggested that it would be prudent not to pass the bill at present, and with the consent of the Earl of DERBY the passing of the bill was postponed to Wednesday. The Joint stock Bank Companies Bill was real a third time and passed. Various bills passed through committee. The Earl of DERBY moved the second reading of the Metropolis Local Management Act Amendment Bill, dwelling at some length upon the necessity of the purification of the Thames. The bill was read a second time. The Draughts on Bankers Law Amendment Aill was read a second time. The Militia Service Abroad Act Continuance Bill ' was read a second time. _~-+r.-