The Sun. — London, England, 1870-06-17 00:00:00

SPECIAL EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK. THIS EVENING'S NEWS. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, ASCOT HEATH MEETING.—THIS DAY. (ItY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPIL) HER MAJESTY'S PLATE. Brennu s GOO •It w.o. FIRST CLASS WOBINGHAIL Allbrook D eparture stephanotis Eleven ran. SECOND CLASS WOKINGHAM. Adelaide 13 earbo ro , , '"rarabridge ) o f o Ten ran ALEXANDRA PLATE. Trocadero Biderolite N SEVENTEENTH TRIENNIAL -tinshine onnanbY Claudius Four ran. PLATE OF 100 SOVS. Tit -nit Jersey Ten ran. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) EXPLOSION ON BOARD A SCHOONER. fast night the schooner Zephyr, of Durham, laden .th gas coals, and lying in Sunderland Dock, blew up. T he hatches had been battened down ready for sea, and (541 Y a cabin boy was left on board. The gas had accu tclulated in the "cabin, and when the boy went in the ex plosion occurred. The cabin was literally blown to pieces, the decks were blown up, the main-boom broken, a'ad great damage was done. The boy was blown twenty Yards fr om th e vesse l i n t o th e wa t er , and was picked up With his head partially blown off. He died soon after, TITII PRISONS' MINISTERS' ACT. 13 . e Dublin Freeman. in referring to the report of the pons' Ministers' Act, says that one advantage of this A et will be that the prison authorities will be bound by ' 4l v to fi x the salary according to a scale from which they °4llllo t depart, or if they do, the Queen's Bench will bring th em back. The Catholics of England have succeeeed in bf eating the justices, and wresting from them an . I() xious power, of which they were certain to make Alberal use, and they did. By perseverance (and we must d, the cordial support of the Liberal party), the English ` lB4ll ollcs have succeeded in reversing the policy of 1863. THE FENIAN RAID. 41111 ding to the American comments on the Fenian 43. -119 . 4 11 an raid, the Freeman says, "By all means let the °llenders be punished, but supposing an American jury lvi ld find them guilty, the punishment would b e onl y tree months' imprisonment for violating the neutrality Wa • In the present temper of Americans, and we et, our own countrymen, there can be little doubt eet, that if th e General were brought to trial, he would c onvicted. The punishment, so slight, would do good, and4lld for Our part we s h ou ld no t b e sorr y to see the Bogui for enjoying self-meditation for six months." 4 : 4 " dismasted ship was seen off Land's End this morn . ` l4 g at five o'clock in tow of three mackerel boats. The Sweedish brig Ada, Petterson master, from Bristol to Sweden ' in ballast, struck to the westward of St. Ives BAY this morning, and went down. Five men were landed At St. Ives in a boat. The master was found floating in exhausted state by a mackerel boat. Four men are " til l missing. The schooner Eclipse, of Bristol, Joshua Baldwin 'Laster, bound from Padstow to Malpas, port of Truro, :;: i n th cargo of oak timber, was towed into Penzance her. C ll lit this morning. About midnight, last night, during a 0 7 squall from the westward, the ship being on the starboard tack, heading north-east, longahips bearing About four miles distant, she carried away mast and all eel; with mainsail. This morning she was taken in tow to Penzance. THE PROSECUTION OF MR BENNETT. The case of " Sheppard v. Bennett " was resumed this Morning in the Court of Arches, before the Right honourable Sir R. Phillimore, the Dean. The defendant, wh o is prosecuted for the promulgation of doctrines in his published works, contrary to the ecclesiastical laws of the Church of England, was " called " three times, but as yesterday did not appear. Mr. A. J. Stephens, Q.C., proceeded with his case on the part of the promoters of the suit. He commenced by drawing the attention of the court to the Second Book of homilies, published in 1563, which was a reprint of the Pirst Book, published in 1547. This book, he submitted, would be found strongly to support his position, inasmuch as it was dealt with by the Thirty-nine Articles. The Book of Homilies contained a large number of questions and answers, in which the doctrine of the Real Presence . ; v as discussed. The doctrine contained in these homilies, nowever, was the same as that which would be found in the Prayer Book of Elizabeth, and, as he had said, the Thirty.-nine Articles. The learned council then proceeded to read lengthy exacts from the book in question, in refer ence to the `worthy receiving of the body and blood ° 1 Christ." In page 444 for instance, it was stated oat it was well known the meat we sought for in the ~.° r d's Supper was spiritual food, for the nourishment of s oule, and not the body, and that the faithless could nvot deal with that precious body. Having traced the li ari°llB opinions expressed by the reformers from the pub cation ...of the " Homilies," he observed that in 1603 of — 1 with a view to counteract the principles tue th e Anabaptists, added to the Prayer-Book be doctrine of • the Sacraments. It would n 3. s een reference to the Catechism that the T ealli ng of the w or d sacr ament, as referred to by the tiractarians, was erroneous, and that it simply meant at:e2Tdinance. The word sacrament occurred in the r aa ell ism five times, and the first question was how anililY sac raments has Christ ordained in His Church. The e /vr Was two only, as generally necessary to salvation, oviaPtism and the Lord's Supper. By this it was as oent that the word sacrament was only to be construed of Vfnance. The next question was as to the meaning ootw 'ne word sacrament, and the answer was, an visib d and visible sign. This expression of Th e 1 : sign could only apply to an ordinance.boi - aPed counsel than pointed out the distincticn em au he In this meaning of the word Sacrament, according ~us doctrine of the Church of England defined by the bean he had quoted as compared with that of the ti le r; Catholic belief. The Catholic doctrine was that tak i , e ,uY and blood of Christ was really and corporally w or T 0 , the faithful. But what was the meaning of the eert faithful ? It was sometimes applied generally to all of a WL i4 ,,elass of belief, but in the 28th article of the Church ortWand, it meant to apply to to those who right r and with faith received the Sacrament. The of t h e natural body, used in the declaration at the end cati b e Communion Service, were capable of double apph worc'e, and that this was the case he should prove by tho rin,BPaul. t e n bean of Arches asked Mr. Stephens whether he S ?wed to prove an ambiguous word by reference to the !Ipures. eir• S tephens said be only intended to do so by way of ustrati The " ' cou D ean of Arches would not say that the learned refi llsel h a d not a perfect right to do so, nor that he should h se to listen to and make a note of his argument, but field uld suggest whether it was not opening a very wide Mr a io Mr, Stephens said if the learned judge would allow him e ver c us, h he w ou ld procee d w i t h hi s argumen t by passing tat point for the resent, taking time to cons lat:, t ,her or not he would p ask his lordship to hear him t e a ref er -- „,Period of the case. He then continued his held --ce to the authorities. Bishop . Hooker not not at the body and blood of Christ vs was th e I V _Ten to the mouth for the . nourishment . . of Th e uu)T, but merely for the nourishing of the ke er rilions of the Bishop of Exeter submitted strict las ha e t Ovine from the time of Edward VI. down to the of Ai, Y years (pas Sing over, of course, the reig Poi n t -T Y), had held the views of Mr. Bennett. The next_ Po int touched _pu on by the learned counsel was that of Pr B e a e 6 ". -Re finally alluded to quotations from now Ar c hb! 3 e.„( l opinions of the Bishop of London, . kod e ,,, is u°l3 of Canterbury, and other eminent • les enu ni - u inndivies, to shew that the chererted Mr. Bennett's plea for toleration the 6on. tr al9 to°f England, were considered to . be, bythem, e sPeei a u th e Principles of the Reformation. H im tanced of th e the statement that except a infin eat of he flesh ' 3l l of Man and drink of His blood he had in. th e 1 , in him. Mr. Bennett contended that . 81 gn ° rd'e Supper there was an outward and visible Co n the body and blood of Christ on the Table of the p r ove He He cited numerous other authorities to sense at Mr. Ben ne tt' s teac hi ng o f t h e V isi bl e Pre th T'as not only irreconc the doctrines Th c eI l arch of England, but ileable was even with ultralßoman. of for e arned counsel's address was not concluded at the laaor i n,°f the court, awl will be rammed to-morrow CONVENTUAL AND MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the state of the law with respect to the property held by con ventual and monastic institutions, resumed its sittings this afternoon, the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers in the chair. As on previous occasions there was a large number of Roman Catholic priests present. The first witness called was Mr. Cudden, a gentleman who has for upwards of twenty years followed the profes sion of a conveyancer, and was at the bar. He stated in reply to Mr. Matthews that he represented the various religious orders of men in this country. As a general rule property held by religious communities of men was derived from the different members of the community, and was thrown together as common property. Securities for the property were held by two or three private individuals as absolute owners. All the members of the community were per fectly aware of that. In judging as to whether a claimant should be admitted into a religious order, their talents, virtue, and ability were chiefly considered. They did not often bring much money into the order, and it was a popular mistake to suppose_ that a man entering a religious community injured his family. It was an invariable rule that before a man became pro fessed he must give up all his property, though he might dispose of it as he- chose. In the case of an elder son, he was obliged before his profession to renounce his inheri tance, except perhaps, a small annuity; and in the event of anything coming to him afterwards in the shape of a reversion, it was passed over to the next heir. That was the invariable rule of religious life. The reason was that before the • Reformation the profession of a religious man involved civil death, and it was considered that he did not require money. It was impossible to hold the property of a religious order of men in trust, because it would be illegal. Generally speaking, the holders are members of the order, but he knew of several cases in which they were not. There were in 1860 about 700 churches and chapels of the Romish mission in England. Very few had charities attached. Catholicity had then begun to revive, and none of the new chapels had charities. There were in the country ten colleges conducted, by permission of the legal owners, by ecclesiastics supposed to belong to religious orders—of course, he must say " supposed " on account of the penalties that still exist. There were 2,032 acres of land held by those ten colleges. By per mission of the legal owners this land is acquired and used for the purpose of supplying those who in habited the religious houses with various articles of pro duce, which in consequence of the college being very often at some distance from the towns, was an absolute necessity. In those ten colleges there were now about 1,192 students of the higher class and higher middle class who receive a first class or classical education on much cheaper terms than in any ordinary Protestant colleges. These students were under the care of preceptors of the highest attainments,who enjoyed no emoluments whatever for their services, but who render them for the promotion. There were also 430 acres additional land held by the col leges, in consequence of the necessity arising for the ac quisition of land in view of the increase of the colleges, and to avoid annoyance by strangers; and they also held 151 houses and parochial residences, three-fourths of which were occupied by perhaps only two or three religious men. These persons had under their care 278,850 souls, including 92,264 children. The total annual income held by all the orders together was £10,350 per annum and no more. The practice was whenever any thing came in to anyone, beyond what was required for their actual support, to expend it in some good work at once, and, if necessary, they would not hesitate to give £l,OOO for a telescope if it was required. The money they did receive was expended in the exercise of the offices of their religion, both in this country and the colonies. They felt it as a deep insult that the various sectiong in the Catholic Emancipation Act treated them as if they were returned convicts and criminals. They complained of the sections in that act relating to what were falsely termed superstitious uses,and they considered that they were treated in England in a different manner to any other community, and demanded that they should have liberty in the disposition of their property in any manner that they chose. We find that Protestants can leave their money to their colleges, and we cannot understand why we cannot have the same liberty ; and we also complain of the restric tionin regard to leaving money for what were termed superstitious uses. He was of opinion that monasteries and convents should be legalised. The Jesuits had occasionally been expelled from various Catholic countries, but it was gene rally during times of revolution, and they knew what followed. In this country one Englishman ought to be as free as another.—By Mr. Newdegate : He had no doubt that some of the orders were represented at Rome, but not all. There were no obligations in the order which militated against their being English men, and discharging the duties of Englishmen. He did not want Parliament to interfere and relieve them of the restraint of the law of mortmain. He said that the law of superstition was an offence to him and some of his brother Catholics, but he did not pretend to speak on the part of the great body of the Catholics. The 2,032 acres were held by the colleges, he did not say that it belonged to them. He declined to say whether Stoneyhurst was one of these colleges, though he should say that Oscott was not, because everybody knew it was, not. He certainly would not say what property belonged to any of the colleges. He appealed to the chairmain whether he ought to be called upon to mention the name of any particular college.—The Chairman said that it was impossible at the 'present stage to ascertain what was the object of his question, and it was not at that moment irrelevant.—Mr. Newdegate read the order of reference, and contended that the question was quite within it.—The witness said that he was anxious to deal fairly and honour ably with the committee, and probably he had told more than he was really called on to tell. He thought that he would have been quite justified in withholding the infor mation respecting the acreage. He thought that inas much as there were certain exemptions in the law of mortmain which operated in favour of Oxford and Cam bridge, they ought to have the same exemptions, and that inasmuch as the Protestants managed their own colleges in the way they liked they thought the Roman Catholics should be allowed to manage theirs as they pleased. The Pope's brief had no effect on the devolution of property in this country. He was speaking in a legal sense and knew nothing about what effect it ought to have on conscience. He knew nothing of conscience in the matter. There was no continuing charitable trust.— By the Chairman : He had consulted with the solicitor. of the Monasteries in order that he might get the fullest and most accurate statements, and the gross income of £10,350 was the result of the total amount brought by 'the religious persons to the monasteries. The committee adjourned at g o'clock. THE FRENCH CONSPIRACY. Next Wednesday the trial of the members of the Inter natial Society who are :concerned in the late conspiracy will take place. They will be charged with illegal asso ciation. The trial will be before the Correctional Tri bunal. THE IMPERIAL FAMILY. The French Emperor is said to have recovered his usual health, and the reported illness of Prince Napoleon is contradicted. THE CONSTITUTIONAL LEFT. A meeting has been held by the new political party in France which calls itself the Constitutional Left, and acknowledges the leadership of M. Picard. The members determined not to publish a political programme, but to persevere in their efforts for the full establishment of the Parliamentary system. A dissolution of the Chamber was thought necessary. THE FENIANS. The Postmaster-General of Canada, the Hon. A. Campbell, is coming over to this country to urge upon the Home Government the necessity for action against the Fenians, on account of the injuries inflicted through the organization in th• United States by the recent raids. THE EXPLOSION OF GUNPOWDER AT WALTHAM. At the Government Powder Mills, situate at Waltham Abbey, it is hardly necessary to state that a vast number of men and boys are continually employed on the works, and yesterday, whilst the sun was shining brilliantly, the atmosphere being charged according to the statement of one of the managers, with electric pressure, and a number of men and boys were busy at their le ork in the mill, a scene that it would be difficult to describe took place ; for in a second the coining -house, a building not more than thirty feet square, was blown high into the air, and two poor fellows were hurled high above the building, and literally shat tered to pieces. Another was forced over the mill-stream, and how any of the others escaped an instantaneous' death can only be attributed to an interposition of Providence. • Two other men were fearfully, if no fatally, mangled—portions of the face and head being rendered as black as charcoal, owing to the action of the sulphurous flames. Two other men were dragged out more dead than alive, and it is feared that during the night death will terminate their suffer ings. Considering the large number of men employed on the works, it seems perfectly remarkable that a far greater number of persons had not been killed, but about twelve or thirteen others are seriously injured, the majority being scorched and charred by the action of the respective blasts. The wreck that presents itself in the grounds can be better imagined than described. The coining house is blown into a misshapen mass, the machinery is hurled about in terrible con fusion. The building, a few yards off, in which a great quantity was packed, was cast far away in innu merable pieces, and the trees, just in full foliage, were shivered to atoms. The wounded were removed to the station, close by, and information was communicated to the coroner. The two deceased men have left large fami lies to mourn their loss. The explosion, it is supposed, was caused by the atmosphere being overcharged with electricity. THE SUN. LONDON, FRI DAY EVENING, JUNE 17. 1870. THE A101 4, E - Y MARKET IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIG ENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS-THIS DAT. Tne 6peaker took the chair at ten minutes pad welve. CITY, Two o'OLocx The business on 'Change has improved with the change of weather. Consols have improved, but in Foreign Securities prices are not quite so firm. Railway Shares are better. The rate of _discount is still three per cent. for first-class bills. Consols are now 921 to 921; ditto Account, 924 ; Three per Cent. Reduced, 921 to 921 ; New 3 per Cent,, 921 to 921; India Five per Cents., 111/ ; ditto Four per Cents., 102 f to 1021. In the Foreign Market Italian 1865 are 881 to 871; Spanish 1867 Loan, 311 to 321; do. 1869, 311 to 311 ; Peruvian, 911 to 911; Portuguese, 334 to 34 ; Brazilian, 87 ; Egyptian, 821 to 83 ; New Peruvian, 1 to 4 prem.; Quicksilver, 21 to 2k; Turkish, 1869, 641 to 654. In the Railway Market Caledonians are 78 to 781 ; Great Eastern, 401 to 404 ; Great Northern, 1234 to 1244 ; Great Western, 731 to 731; 'Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1331 to 1341 ; Brighton, 441 to 451; London, Chatham, and Dover, 157 to 161; London and North Western, 1294 to 130 ; London and South Western, 914 to 924 ; Metropolitan, 671 to 674 ; Midland, 131 to 1314 ; and Dovers, 761 to 771. American Fire-Twenty Bonds are at 90 to 904 ; Erie Railroad, 181 to 184 ; Illinois, 1131 to 114 ; Atlantic and Great Western Bonds, 28 to 29 ; and the Debentures, 35 to 36. _ . In Bank Shares Alliance are quoted 141 to 151; Anglo- Austrian, 14 to 16 prem. ; Chartered Mercantile, 30 to 31; Consolidated, 44 to 5 ; Imperial Ottoman, 41 to 5 ; London and County, 504 to 511; London and Westmin ster, 63 to 64 ; London Joint Stock, 35 to 36 ; and Union of London, 391 to 40k. In Miscellaneous Shares, General Credit are 'quoted: prem. ; International Financial, 11 1 dis. ; Hudson's Bay, 121134 ; National Discount, 111 12. Anglo-American Telegraph Shares are 16 to 164 ex div. ; British India, Bto 8i; China, 31 to 34 dis. ; Falmouth, 81 to 84 ; French Atlantic, 141 to 15 ; Telegraph Construc tion, 24 to 241 ex the return of 24. In Mining Shares St. John del Rey are 22 to 24 ; Port Philip, 4 dis. to par. ; Rosso. Grande, 4 dis. to par; Fron tino Bolivia, to 1; Don Pedro, 24 to 24 prem. ; and Anglo-Brazilian, 1 to 4 die. The Austrian Government have granted a quotation for the Turkish Railway Lottery Bonds, and a rise in premium has occurred. Large transactions are reported from Vienna and Constantinople. The French Government has concluded a treaty with the Societe du Cable Transatlantique Frangais, which grants the Societe the right of amalgamating with other companies. The exclusive privilege of landing has been relinquished, and in its place the French Government have assured the company, at equal rates, all public and private messages not specially directed to go by another route. It appears that the shipments of wheat from New York during the first five months of the present year have been 621,000 quarters, against 421,000 in the same period of last year, and 313,000 in 1868. The shipments of flour have been 676,910 barrels, against 392,623 in the same period of 1869, and 387,464 in 1868. . _ It is stated that the whole of the new stock of the Sub marine Telegraph Company, which was recently autho rised to be raised, has been subscribed for by the proprie tors themselves, and that the board is unable to entertain the applications for allotments which have been received from the general public. The John Dryden, which left Bombay on the 27th May for Liverpool, was totally lost on the 13th inst. on Ras Safoon. She is valued at £140,000. The captain and crew were saved. American advices report that Messrs. Dodge, Moriarty, and Weller, of Cleveland, Ohio, engaged in the dry goods trade, hays suspended payment. The ordinary general meeting of the Palace and Bur lington Hotels Company (Limited) is convened for the 28th inst. The directors of the British and Foreign Marine Insur ance Company (Limited) have declared an ad interim dividend for the half-year of 4s. per share, free of income tax, being at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, and payable on July 1. The letters of allotment for the Certificates of the Rou manian Government Iron Bridges Annuity were posted last evening. An extraordinary meeting of the National Discount Company (Limited) is called for the 20th July, to declare a dividend. MARKETS.— rats DAT. MARK-LANE. At Mark Lane this morning the supplies of English grain were short, of foreign short, influenced by the bene fit likely to accrue to the crops by the rain. The trade hasbeen quiet, but prices have been supported. Very few samples of English wheat have been offered. The demand has been less active, but at steady prices. With foreign wheat the market has been moderately supplied. For all qualities full rates have been obtained, with a fair en quiry. The barley trade has been steady on former terms. The supply has been moderate. Malt has been quiet at late rates. Oats have been in fair request at full curren cies. Beans and peas have been steady at late rates. Flour has been firm at the recent improvement. THE YACHT RACE OF FROM DOVER TO THE ISLE WIGHT. COWES, Friday.—Calm weather ; Fiona first at 2 o'clock on Thursday ; Julia second. Guinivere Ist, shrs. 30thin. this morning. Egeria 2nd, 6hrs. 30min. „ Others considerably later. GREAT FIRE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE. A terrific fire occurred last evening at Whittlesea, by which a large area of farm buildings and twelve cottages were entirely destroyed. All efforts to extinguish the conflagration were unavailing , and it only ceased through want of material to work on. The scene is described as an intensely exciting one. A THEATRICAL SLANDER. Lord Chief Justice Bovill and a special jury heard to day an action brought by Mr. Chatterton, the well-known lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, against Mr. Marsh Nelson, who was the architect and surveyor to that establishment. The action was to recover damages for slander. The case for the plaintiff was, that in June, 1869, a Mr. Robinson had a contract to redecorate the theatre for the sum of £3,210, and in reference to it he saw the defendant, who made a statement to the effect that if Mr. Robinson did the work he would probably lose his money, and that it was likely that a Chancery suit would be commenced against the defendant, and he would be turned out of possession. At the conclusion of the opening speech a consultation took place between the learned counsel. Mr. Hawkins said what Mr. Nelson said had been en tirely misunderstood ; that he never made any imputation whatever upon Mr. Chatterton : and there was not the slightest ground for any imputation. The Solicitor-General said that having regard to the legal difficulties which had been referred to, he would consent to the terms that had been mentioned. A juror was then withdrawn. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Tms DAT. IMPUDENT SHOP ROBBERY. —Henry Payne, aged 20 years, and described as a hammerman of Smith's lodging house, Flower and Dean streets, Spitalfields, was brought up on remand before Mr. Lushington at the Thames Police-court, charged with stealing a ca sh box and a silver watch from the shop parlour of the house of No. 21, Ban croft-place, Mile End-road. Mrs. Catherine Poole, whose husband is in Australia, was on a visit to her son, a shop keeper, at No. 21, Bancroft-place, on Saturday last, and while in the parlour heard a noise in the shop, and saw the prisoner behind the counter. She demanded what business he had there, and he said he wanted a glass of water. She called for assistance and he immediately ran out of the shop. A silver watch and a cash box which he had stolen out of the parlour were found upon him. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months' imprison ment. STABBING AT CREMORNE. T. Clarke, a cook at Cre morne, was placed at the Westminster Court charged with feloniously assaulting and wounding James Smithson, another cook at the same establishment. Henry Palaino said that on Thursday afternoon he was in the scullery at Cremorne. Some angry feeling existed between the pro secutor and prisoner. Prisoner said that if he came near him he would stick aknife in him. Prosecutor went across to him and told him to put down his knife, and fight like a man. Immediately after witness saw prisoner withdraw the knife from Smithson's side. A scuffle then followed, after which Smithson was taken to St. George's Hospital. A very sharp-pointed cook's knife was produced which had been taken from the prisoner immediately after it had been used. As it is feared that death will ensue, the prisoner was remanded. LADVERTISEMENT.J—HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS. Judicious Management.—Though it is impossible in this climate of changing temperature to prevent ill-health alto gether, yet its forms and frequency may be much miti gated by the early adoption of remedial measures. When hoarseness, cough, thick breathing, and the attending slight fever, indicate irritation of the throat or chest, Hol loway's Ointment should by rubbed upon these parts with out delay, and his Pills taken in appropriate doses to pro mote the curative action. No catarrhs or sore throats can resist these remedies. Printed directions envelop every package of Holloway's medicaments, which arc suited to all ages and conditions, and to every ordinary disease to which humanity is liable. THIS MORNING'S NEWS. THE NATIONAL GALLERY. Mr. LAMBERT asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he considered that a considerable number of the pictures in the Turner Room of the National Gallery was creditable either to the national taste or to the national talent; and whether it was not desirable that they should be removed, to give place to other works of art. Mr. AYRTON said that if he replied to the question he should really be making himself the arbitrar of the national taste and national talent, which would be a very unusual thing in this country, where everybody thought and acted as he pleased. It seemed to him that his hon. friend would best attain his object if he submitted to the consideration of the House a resolution expressing some opinion, either that. the pictures might be removed or retained. MILITARY PUNISHMENTS. Mr. RUSSELL GURNEY asked the Judge Advocate General whether his attention had been directed to the recommendations of the Commissioners on Courts Martial and military punishments so far as they related to the provisions contained in the Mutiny Act and Articles of War, and whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a measure, during the present session, to carry those recommendations into effect. The JUDGE ADVOCATE GENRRAL replied that the matter was receiving the attention of the Government, but owing to the present state of public business, a measure to carry the recommendations into effect would not be introduced this session. EDUCATION. Mr. VERNON HARCOURT asked the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether, under the proposed amendments in the Education Bill, there will be any provision whatever for enforcing compulsory attendance in voluntary schools now or hereafter to be established. Mr. FORSTER replied that the amendments would ap pear in the reprinted bill, hut would make no allusion to that part of the bill which related to compulsory attend a-lee. The voluntary schools were about to be separated from the Local Board. Of course his hon. friend was aware that in the bill as it stood they were not necessarily joined. His hon. friend would have observed that he had put upon the notice paper an amendment consequent upon the introduction of the time-table conscience clause pre venting school boards from enforcing compulsory attend ance upon religious instruction in any school. In reply to Mr. J. G. TALBOT, Mr. FORSTER said that it was intended that the addi tional grant should be given to all public elementary schools, present and future, denominational or secular. THE CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply on the Civil Service Estimates. The sum of £34,023 was asked to defray the charges in respect of the salaries and ex penses of the officers of the. House of Lords. £37,850 were granted to complete the sum necessary to pay the salaries and expenses of the officers of the House of Commons In the discussion which ensued on this vote attention was called to the difference between the divisions the tellers giving one number, and the division clerks another in the lists.—Mr. Ward Hunt• suggested that a self-acting register would meet the difficulty.—The sum of £44,193 was voted to complete the sum necessary to defray the salaries and expenses of the Treasury Depart ment. The sum of £66,033 was voted in respect of the salaries and expenses connected with the office of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. £48,814 were required to complete the sum necessary to defray the salaries and expenses of the Foreign Office. Mr. RYLA.NDS proposed to reduce the vote by two thou sand pounds. He thought the salaries and allowances to foreign messengers were extravagant, and no other nation paid such high salaries for siMilar seivices. He was glad, how ever, to see that there had during the year been a reduc tion of expense in that direction. Mr. OTWAY said the present staff of messengers con sisted of fifteen. Last year it numbered seven teen, and it was considered that twelve would be just sufficient for the purposes of the Foreign Office. Each messenger received £4OO per annum, Ind £1 per day to cover expense, railway fares, of ;ourse, being paid. When they presented their bills they were carefully examined. If their offices were abolished, they were entitled to a pension or superannuation allow /nee. He suggested that it would be wiser and more economical to leave the subject entirely to the action of the Secretary of State. The right hon. gentleman defended the arrangements of the Foreign Office. He thought. however, that it would be to the advantage of the public/ service that all financial questions should first be dealt with through the parliamentary Under Secretary. Mr. RYLANDS withdrew his motion and the vote was agreed to. The sum of £26,923 was voted for the expenses of the Colonial Office. A vote of £25,749 to defray the expenses of the Privy Council. (LEFT SITTING.) THE NEW LORD JUSTICE OF APPEAL. We believe we shall be found correct in stating that Mr. Jessel will be appointed to the Lord Justiceship, vacant since the death of Sir J. Selwyn. LONDON GAZETTE—This Evening, FOREIGN OFFICE, JUNE 14. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Theodor Willdering as Consul-General in London for his Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway. The Queen has als o been pleased to approve of Mr. B. G. Sinclair as Consul at Berwick for his Majesty the King of the Belgians. WHITEHALL, JUNE 16. The Queen has been pleased to grant unto the Reverend Robert Scott, D.D., the place and dignity of Dean of the Cathedral Church of Rochester, void by the death of Doctor Thomas Dale. THE EDMUND'S SCANDAL. This case was brought before Mr. Justice Wiles yes terday. His lordship deferred giving judgment. The question raised by the defendant was whether the new statute to abolish imprisonment for debt did not include debts due to the Crown. The defendant had been found indebted to her Majesty, and at the instance of the Attorney-General had been arrested and was now confined in Whitecross-street Prison. He applied to be discharged on the ground that the new law extended to such debts. His lordship announced to day that the case required further consideration before he gave judgment. THE STORM. An enormous destruction of property and loss of life has resulted from the storm on Thursday night. A short distance from the town of Croydon is a village called Coulsdon, in which stood a large range of farm premises belonging to Mr. G. Smith, a farmer, who employed a number of agri cultural labourers. The estate was called " Stoat's Nest Farm." The proprietor had been for the last few days speaking to his neighbours as to the great good a thunder storm and a heavy shower of rain would do to his crops. Unfortunately the electric fluid struck and set fire to one of the stacks of hay containing 50 waggon loads, three straw stacks each of 20 loads; a corn shed, 50 feet long and 20 wide ; two stables, of 20 feet and 30 feet long, and another 40 feet by 30 ; also a granary, certainly only one floor high, but 50 feet long, and something approximatini to 25 feet wide. The wind drove the flames into the pri vate residence of Mr. J. Kent, and before an engine had tim4 to get to the spot the premises were burned for the greater part out, and the remainder fell with a crash to the ground Fortunately the whole of the horses had been rescued, bu. .at no little danger to those who were bold enough to ven ture into the stables. It is reported that a man named Joshua Martin was struck down by the lightning close b) and killed, and that a girl near Foot's Cray had shared 1 similar fate. A private residence belonging to Mr. T. Charman was also seriously damaged by fire. Anothe fire was caused at Bridge Wharf, Harrow-road the property of Mr. Putney, a timber merchant. Owini to the violence of the storm the raift fell in such stream that a number of lime sacks became ignited. Fortunately owing to the timely arrival of assistance, the fire was sow subdued. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) A very heavy stoma of thunder and lightning passed over Cambridge last night, and continued for several hours. The lightning was unusually vivid, and several fires were occasioned thereby in the neighbourhood. An old malt-house, situated about nine miles from Cambridge, was burnt down. Several fires were caused by the electric fluid a Swavesley and other places in the locality. The scene for about three hours was one of extraordinary grandeur. HOUSE OF LORDS.-THIIREIDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. On the motion that the London and South Coast Rail way Bill be read a third time, LordREDEsDALE said the bill sought to carry out certain traffic arrangements between the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. He thought before the measure passed it would be wise to take some steps to revise the scale of tolls on the latter railway, and for that purpose be should move that the operation of the bill be limited to one year. The motion was opposed by the Earl of DEnnv,who had been the chairman of the committee who had considered the ,bill. On a division there appeared contents 64, not contents 88. The amendment was therefore rejected, and the bill read a third time. The Union of Benefices Bill passed through committee, and was reported with amendments. THE IRISH LAND BILL. The adjourned debate on the motion for the second reading of this bill was resumed by Lord CAIRNS who said that one of the reasons given by the noble earl opposite (Granville) for the exceptional legislation in which they were then engaged was, that the law of England and Ireland differed very materially both in letter and in spirit, but he thought that fact was not a sufficient justification for such very special legislation. The noble lord then proceeded to refer to the action which had been taken by the Irish Parliament in 1780 to refute the assertion that had been made that the tenants of Ire land had been ground down by judge-made law, and then passed to the consideration of the bill then before their lordships. With respect to those clauses called Mr. Bright's, according to his opinion there was no objection in point of principle; if any fault was to be found with them it was as to policy and expe diency, but he was certain it would be impossible to create a middle or small class proprietary. As far as his experience of mat:,ers in Ireland went such a system would tend to extensive subletting on the smallest scale as soon as the Government mortgage was paid off. He also was of opinion that the penalties were too severe, as also the burdens that would be thrown on the Government during the next 35 years whilst the sums advanced were being repaid. They would lead to jobbery and unheard-of evasion, and the final result would be that it would be hopeless to enforce them without making the Government more odious than the most unpopular land lord in Ireland now was. He did not approve of the manner in which the law of distress was dealt with. That law, as reported by the Devon Commission, had operated for the benefit of the small tenant ; but the bill left all the evils of that law, and entirely destroyed the ad vantages. He objected to the extension of time for giving notice to quit. In his opinion six months was ample. He thought the selection of the Civil Bill Court as the primary tribunal was a wise provision, but he strongly objected to the manner in which the landlords and tenants, although willing to come to an agreement, were compelled to resort to the courts upon which duties were imposed which it was impossible they could `discharge, for they were left to get through them in the best way they could, and without the least assistance. With re spect to the Ulster custom he argued that the bill would allow the tenant an option which was denied to the land lord, and he suggested that it should be made a provision to the bill that such option should only be used with the consent of the court. As regarded the compensation clauses he much preferred the manner in which retrospec tive compensati on was dealt with in the bill he had the honour to bring forward in another place. Had that provision been adopted they would not now have had to deal with the motion. He was ready to admit the justice of compensation for improvements, although he could not see why there should be any difference between those made before and those after the passing of the pre sent Act. He thought that too small an estimate was taken of the value of the improvements by the tenant, and considered that the alteration throwing the burden of proof on the landlord, which the sth clause did, was a rank and positive injustice, which would confiscate all that had been laid out by the landlords to the amount of over two millions of money. The English and Scotch system was rapidly making way, but by this clause an effectual stop would be put to it. He was strongly opposed to the system of compensation for disturb ance, as laid down in the third clause, which he hoped their lordships would not give their assent to it without first showing its probable operation, for not only was compensation to be given irrespective of improvements made by the tenant, or the length of the occupation, but both landlord and tenant were prohibited from entering into agreements or contracts by which the action of the clause might be mitigated for their mutual advantage and benefit. If the principle was assented to in the case of a tenant, he did not see why it should not hold good to every service and employment. The noble lord then raised objections to compensation scale clauses, and with respect to the 31 years' lease, he thought, nothing could be more advan tageous both to landlord and tenant than a lease for 21 years. The clause referring to execution for non payment of rent was most absurd, as it fell direct and enacted that the tenant should be paid by the land lord for not having paid his rent. He also strongly ob jected to the system of assignment allowed by the bill,and remarked that it was most unjust to allow a tenant to assign his farm to a man without capital, a most undesir able person to have on any estate, whilst the landlord was prevented from removing the person assigned, with whom he had no contract without paying him five or six years' rent. In committee it would become their lord ships' duty to remedy the defects in this bill, and if, after its passing, it should tend to the increased prosperity of Ireland, which he sincerely hoped it would, it would not be forgotten that the result was in a great measure owing to the patriotism, the liberality, and the moderation of the landlords of Ireland. Viscount HALIFAX supported the motion for the second reading of the bill, the passing of which, he felt, would prove highly advantageous for Ireland. There were cer tain points of detail that might require further consider ation in committee, but, on the whole, he thought the bill a just and fair one. Earl GREY, at some length, proceeded to examine the enactments of the bill, and said that although it was not a measure that had his entire approval, it was one, he thought, which would work better than was at first ex pected, considering the relative positions of landlord and tenant. There was, he admitted, circumstances that justi fied the interference of Parliament with a view to legisla tion in order to legalise the implied contract which existed between them. Under the system that had existed in Ireland for many years past there was a feeling of inse curity and distrust which it was absolutely necessary to remove, and in his opinion the best way to have accom plished that object would be to establish a cheap and easy form of contract, which each party, the best judge of its own interests, could freely enter into, but the measure failed in that particular, and instead it proposed to establish a system of restriction, which did not remove one of the old objections that existed ; but, on the contrary, it established new restrictions of a most complicated character that could not but produce unheard of litigation. In his opinion freedom of contract ought to be the chief basis of legislation, and that being so it was not to be expected that he could approve of excep- tional legislation, which he always looked upon as dan gerous and objectionable. The bill in many parts bore hardly upon the landlords, and whilst it did so he could not see that it to any great extent benefited the tenant. Although, as he had already said,the bill would bring into existence much litigation he hoped their lordships would, after due consideration, pass it, as there was no prospect if they rejected the bill of a better measure being brought forward,and the disappoint ment after the hopes that had been raised would be such that it would be fraught with the utmost danger. Lord ATriLuMNEY said there had been various objec tions and imperfections pointed out in the measure during the debate, yet not one of the noble lords who had addressed their lordships had said they would not vote for the second reading of the bill. He advised their lord ships to pass the measure, which he felt certain would well repay all the trouble and anxiety that had been bestowed upon it, and tend more than anything that he was aware of to the increased prosperity of Ireland. The Earl of DERBY said he held decided, and he was afraid unpopular, views with respect to the measure now under consideration, but he might say that he agreed in the general principles of the bill. The portion of the bill he most objected to was that which gave compensation fof the disturbance of a tenant in his holding, which was carried out by a machinery utterly disproportionate to the object in view. Compensation for disturbance was altogether a novel proposition. It was not a compensa tion for improvement—that was quite natural, but it was the payment for a right which had no legal or real existence. In his opinion there did not exist any ground for this compensation being given except one, and that was the misguided kindness of Irish landlords in enforcing their rights, and in the ridiculous supposition that the Irish tenant was so ignorant and helpless that if he lost his holding he was utterly ruined. He believed the result of the arrangement would be to arrest the agricultural improvement of Ireland would fix immovably the present wretched system of small holdings occupied by men with out capital to do more than merely scratch the soil, and earning for themselves a miserable existence, in the best season, with slight prospect:of providing either for them selves or their families. No reason of expediency or po- litical necessity could justify such legislation, for the only hope of agricultural improvement in Ireland was the gradual absorption of these small holdings until they be came of a size to remunerate the operator. He objected to the bill on the ground that he had stated more than on the presumed hardship to the landlords. It would be a premium to those landlords who had swept their estates by a general system of eviction, whilst those who had not done so would find themselves involved in endless litigation. He objected to the scale of compensation,which would compel the landlords to seize every opportunity of consolidating their farms, and that opportunity would only arise with those tenants who fell 1 ack in their rents, and whose misfortunes, if it had not been for the present bill, the landlords would have sym pathised with rather than taken advantage of. In that respect he believed the bill would act differently to what was expected. At present it was considered harsh to evict a steady tenant : but this moral restraint would now be thrown down by reducing it to a pecuniary compensation fixed by the Legislature. He was afraid the bill would confirm the ideas now prevalent in Ireland, that the land belonged to those who occupied it. He was solely induced, in supporting the second readincr, by the hope that it would arrest agrarian outrage, although it would be exceedingly difficult to give up a system that had been very successful; and as they might expect in Ireland an agitation far more formidable than any they had yet experienced, it was most desirable they should ap ply an effectual remedy, although perhaps not the best, to show that Parliament had done everything in its power to bring about the prosperity of the country. The Duke of ARGYLL defended the bill from the objec tions that bad been made against it by noble lords oppo site. He said the propositions in the measure were the wisest that could be devised, and it would have been ab surd to legislate upon the subject unless they provided compensation for eviction. The Duke of ABERCORN thought the principle of com pensation was carried out in a most objectionable manner. He admitted that some of the provisions of the bill were good, but there were others that violated every sound principle of legislation. He would not offer any objection to the second reading of the bill. The debate, on the motion of Lord DIINSANY, was ad journed. Their lordships rose at a quarter past twelve o'clock. THE MESSAGE ON CUBA. The debate on Cuban affairs continues at Washington, and. General Butler has defended the Government, de claring that a war with Spain would prevent the success ful funding of the National Debt. General Logan ap pealed to Congress to prevent the barbarities committed in Cuba from continuing. The resignation of Attorney- General Hoare is announced. Rumours are current in Washington that the Cabinet will be affected by the Cuban debate, and that Secretary Fish will probably resign. THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN LAMBERT. Yesterday in Court Queen's Bench, Dublin, application was made by Town for writ of Habeas Corpus, to bring up the body of Peter Barrett, whose third trial for the attempted murder of Captain Lambert, in Galway, in July last, is fixed for 23rd inst.—Rule accordingly. DREADFUL MURDER IN TYRONE. A foul murder was discovered near Enniskillen, county Tyrone. A young woman, named Lees, was found with her head nearly severed from her body ; she had left home in the company of a young man ; it was supposed they had gone to America. The sad truth was revealed by the discovery of the body of the unfortunate woman. CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS. THE REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES. The Yorkshire Post of to-day (Friday) in a leader on, the debate on the second reading of the Representation of the People's Acts Amendment Bill points out that the minority claues of the Reform Act rests its chief claim on the pound that it was the embodiment of a compromise between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and was part of the settlement of the Reform question accepted by Parliament and the country. For this reason the attempt to obtain the repeal of the clauses was singu larly indecent, and the Government ought to have resisted it. Moreover, no case had been made out showing that the clause as an experiment had failed. Such is the opinion of the House of Commons, and such, no doubt, would have been the opinion of the Upper House if the measure which was accepted at their hands had been sent back to them for rejection. THE ROYAL VISIT TO READING. The preparations at Reading for the reception of the Prince and Princess of Wales, on the Ist of July, have this week assumed a tangible shape. The reception com mittee have decided to have no illuminations, but the Town Hall will be elegantly decorated. On Wednesday the Corporation announced that they would only be responsible for four triumphal arches, leaving the remainder of the decorations to the efforts of the tradesmen. Accordingly a meeting was convened, consisting of the tradesmen residing in the principal thoroughfares. Street committees were formed, and the work of decorating has commenced in real earnest. The procession, which will consist of some 2,000 persons, representing the Freemasons, Odd Fellows, and Foresters' Societies, and 5,000 volunteerk will take a circuitous route on the return journey, in order to pass through the principal thoroughfares of the town. The Forbury gun, captured in the Russian war, will fire a salute, and the volunteers will fire a feu-de-joie. CONFERMENT OF DEGREES AT OXFORD. In a congregation held yesterday at Oxford, the following egrees were conferred :—M.A.—Messrs. Mad dison, Merton ; Young and A. Seafe, Exeter; Leir, C. G. Heathcote, C. 1). Heathcote, and Price ; Oriel ; Brad ford, New ; Yeld, Brasenose ; Coxe, Corpus ; Firth and Stanhope, Christchurch ; Nolan, St. John's ; Shrelfall, University ; Gent, Barning, Hilton, Brand, and Grant, Trinity ; Wharton and John Jones, Jesus ; Leigh, Wadham ; Hickes, Pembroke ; Atkins, St. Mary Hall. B.A.—Charmer. Cree, and Cobb, University; Hughes, Gardiner, and Barber, Exeter ; Heathcote, Grant, and Green, Oriel ; Dale, Brittain, and Saunders, Queen's ; Digby, New ; Everett, Magdalen ; Ilbert, Collier, Tupper, and Bickersteth, Corpus ; Carnegie, Smythe, Formstone, Andrews, Gibbs, and Eyton, Christchurch ; Cassels, Trinity; Deakin, St. John's ; Crewer and Crowdy, Wadham ; Brooks, Worcester ; .Atkins, Egerton, and Warburton, St. Mary Hall. Scholars of Civil Law.— Everett, Magdalen ; Farmell and Dibbin, Pembroke. Incorporation from Cambridge to Exeter College.—M.A., Reub. Henry Thomas Riley. THREATENING A MAGISTRATE. Michael Ryan, drill sergeant of the Wisbeach Rifle Corps, was charged on Wednesday, before the Wisbeach borough magistrates, with threatening the life of Mr. Richard Young, magistrate for the county of Norfolk and Isle of Ely, and formerly M.P. for Cambridgeshire. The defendant, who is an Irishman, had been convicted before Mr. Young and fined for drunkenness and riotous con duct. After his conviction the prisoner was heard by several witnesses to say that he would do for Richard Young. Prisoner also stated publicly that he was going to Canada within three months, and he would do for Mr. Young before he went. The case was remanded till Tuesday next. FATAL AFFRAY IN STAFFORDSHIRE. Two men, named George Mayer and John Mountford, were drinking on Wednesday, at a public-house known as the New Inn, Ball Green, near Hanley, Staffordshire, when Mayer struck Mountford, who returned two such severe blows that the man died instantly. Mountford is in custody. A FATAL QUARREL. Two men, named Patrick Finney and Michael Clark, went into a public-house in Ballyhaise, County Cavan, yesterday to drink, when an altercation took place between them, and in the excitement Clark stabbed his companion in several places, causing his death almost instantaneously. It is announced that the subscription list of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company will be closed to morrow at two o'clock. The medical department of the Privy Council have censured the Oldham guardians for neglecting to carry out the Vaccination Act. A letter from the department stated broadly that the guardians had almost entirely neglected their duty in the matter, and that a serious epidemic of small-pox had been the result. ies ile ct,