The Sun. — London, England, 1857-08-11 00:00:00

STAMPING LETTERS. Lord CAMPBELL called the attention of the Post master-General to the importance of introducing some improvement in the mode of stamping letters in the post-nffice. At the present time the stamps upon letters were generally illegible, and it was with the greatest difficult.y that the dates were made out. In a trial that took place recently at Edinburgh the evil was felt very much, and it was of the utmost importance to ascertain whether an improved mode could not be adopted. The Duke of ARGYLL said the subject was one which had occasioned cicsiderable inquiry. The real difficulty existed in the necessity of stamping the whole of the letters by manual labour inasmuch as no machine had yet been discovered to perform the operation effec tually. If the noble and learned lord ',mold visit the post-office at 6 o'clock in the evening he would witness the marvellous rapidity and accuracy with which many thousands of letters were stamped in a very short space of time. It wad absolutely neces sary to keep the box open to the latest moment for the reception of letters, and great difficulty was then expe rienced in stamping and nsaking up the letters within the very short time left for the operation. There had been a great many suggestions offered, and he v. as happy to say that there was every likelihood of the object the noble and learned lord had in view would beobtained. There was no doubt a great superiority in foreign stamps, but that might be accounted for by the circumstance of the kind of paper used abroad, and the smallness of the number of letters compared with those of this country. It was exceedingly difficoh to stamp letters legibly, especially when glazed paper was used. The Bankruptcy and Insolvency (Ireland) Bill passed through committee, The Lunatics (Scotland) Bill also passed through com mittee after a few verbal amendments bad been agreed to. The report of the amendments to the Militia Bill was brought up and agreed to. The County Court Judges Salaries Bill was read a third time and passed. The report of amendments on the Court' of Session (Scotland) Bill was brought up and agreed to. The Charitable Trusts Act Continuance Bill was read a third time and passed. The General Beard of flealtla Continuance Bill and the Attorney and Solicitors (Colonial Courts) Bill passed through committee. The Municipal Corporations Bill also passed through •ammittee. The Superannuation Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Illicit IY‘tilla.tion (Ireland) Bill, and the Loan Societies, the Burial-ground (Scotland) Act (1855) Amendment Bill, and the Valuation of Land (Scotland) Ael Amendment Bill, the Summary Proceedings before Justices of the Peace Bill, went through committee. The Fraudulent Trustees Bill, and the Trustees Relief Bill were read a third time and passed. . _ The Jurisdiction in Siam Bill went through corn rnittoe. L , rd MONTEAGLE called the attentien of their lordships to a petition presented by the Earl of Carysfort on the sth inst., praying for his recognition as a mem ber of that house. The noble lord explained the case of the petitioner to be one in which an Irish representative peer was prevented from the exercise of his rights by a standing order of their lordships' house, and suggested that the said order should be amended, so as to allow of justice being done in the case of the noble earl to whoso petition he had referred. Lord REDESDALE deprecated any interference with the Etinding order which prevented the recognition of the petitioner, at that late period of the session, at.d with so few of their lordships present. That resolution had been adopted at a time when there was a full attendance of Irish peers, and it would not be fair to interfere with it now. Lord CAMPBELL suppceed the proposition of the noble lord behind him (Lord Monteagle). The LORD CHANCELLOR was of opinion that the case should be met by amending the standing order, and that there was no necessity to wait for another session of Parliament. Lord MONTEAGLE postponed the motion, ana gave notice of a motion for to-morrow, for araending the standing order in question. The'Bishop of OXFORD presented a petition from the archdeaconry of Bath against the Divorce Bill. Their lordships then a(T)urned at 20 minuted to 7 o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAK En took the chair at 4 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' amendments to the following bills were considered and agreed to :—British and Irish Grand Junction ; Finsbury Park (No. 2) ; New Brunswick and Canada Railway and Land Company ; Norfolk Es tuary Acts Amendment ; Sittingbourne and Sheerness Rahway ; Tweed Fisheries ; and South Eastern Rail. way (Greenwich Junction to Dartford, &c.) THAMES CONSERVANCY BILL. On the consideration of the Lords' amendments to this bill, General CODRINGTON, who objected to the prin ciple of the bill, took occasion to complain of a bill for a puhfic object being passed through the house as a pri vate bill, which prevented its details from being properly known by the public, who would be materially affected by them. By this course many of the objectionable c lauses of the bill had been concealed from the public. Sir J. SHELLEY concurred in the observations of the gallant officer. Mr. BRISCOE also addressed the House, and pro- ceeded to remark on the principle of the bill, when The SPEAKER called him to order, observing that the principle of the bill could not then he discussed. The question before the house was the Lords' amend ments to the bill. The amendments were then agreed to. ROYAL ASSENT. The SPEAKER and several members of the house at tended the House of Lords to hear the Royal Assent given by cominisAon to numerous bi:l4. (See Lords' report.) SUNDAY BANDS AND PARKS. Mr. TIANBURY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he bad received a memorial on the subject of the Sunday Bands in the Parks being encouraged by the Government, while preaching was Prohibited ; and, if s o , w h a t answer h er M a j esty ' s Ge nt was prepared to give to the prayer of that rnernerial Sir G. G REY said h e h a d rece i ve d a memorial, signed by three gentlemen, secretaries of religious societies, complaining o f the Permission o f b an d s to p l ay i n the parks on Sund a . and be (Sir G. m Whilst preaching was prohibited ; y) said that the bands did not play in the parks by the direct b p a e d rmission of Government, though it ass allowed. toreceived no cumplaint from the inhbitants relativewi.. the conduct of the people who attende&thero. regard to preaching in the park it had been prohibitednnrecgo sefqnence of the privilege being abused, and the nunabt r o persons who ass embled principle. there to promulgate atheisti ca l Sir B. HALL said t hat t h e allegation o f the rmo. rialists with reference to charges being made for Beat daring the performance of these bands, and the selling programmes, were to a cutain extent exaggeraZedof . (Hear, hear.) He admitted that alter what took place last year be did not remove the platforms, and they were certainly being now used by the private bands. He said that no comp/amts had been made by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood Park of the con duct of the people who atten led them, and there had been no cases of misconduct brought before the magis trates. (Hear.) The right bon. baronet read a report from the Superintendent of the Palks relative to preach. ing in the parks, and on one occasion there were 24 per sons preaching one against the other there, cloven of whom were infidels, and promulgating doctrines which be could not p erm i t. The right hon, baronet urged that he bad (flear, act d e ) right in p u tti ng a stop to its continuance. hear. DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVANTS. Mr. WISE asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether it was intended to aboli s h t h e system ofdeduc ono being m ade by certain officials at the Foreign-cffice I THE SUN, LONEON, TUESDAY EV.ENING Aupusr 11, 1857. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT• HOUSE OF LORDS—(YEsTERDAY.) ROYAL COMMISSION. The Royal assent was ge i ven by commission to the following Grand Juries (Ireland) Act 1856 A.nendment, Turnpike Trusts Abolition (Ireland), Con stabulary Force (Ireland), Deeside Extension Railway, Banff, Macduff, and Turriff Extension Railway ; Stock ton New Gas, and Stockton Gas Consumers'Companies ; B an ff, Portnoy, and Strathilsa Railway; Barden] and Tanstall Gas ; Bristol, South Wales, and Southampton Union Railway ; Newcastle-under-Lyne and Leek Road; Langport, Somerton, and Castlecary Roads ; Lowestoft Water, Gas,. and Market ; Australian Agricultural compan y, Ely Tidal Harbour and Railway, Margate Water, Tyne Improvement, Wimbledon and Dorking Ba il w ay, Shrewsbury Gas, Lewes and Uckfield R a ilway, Newry, Warrenpoint, and Rostrevor Rail way ; Malden and Fermoy Railway, and Great Southern and Western Railway ; Bury Gas, C amock Mineral Railway (No. 1), Selby and Market Weighton Turnpike Roads, West Somerset Mineral Railway, Stratford .upon-Avon Gas, London Gas Light Company (Capital), Milford Improvement, Orkney Roads, East Sent Railway (Extension to Dover), Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Sligo Ex tension), Monklands Railway, Fleming's Estate, Camp bell's Divorce, Smith's Divorce, Britons Ferry Docks, GLisgow City and Suburban Gas, Scottish Central rail way, Stamford and Estendine Railway, Victoria (Lon don) Docks, Great North and West (of Ireland) Great Southern and Western Extension, Leslie Railway, Keith and Dufftown Railway (No. 2), Des thorp Turnpike Trusts London (City) Coal Duties, European and Indian Junction Telegraph Company, West of Fife Mineral Railway, Clyde Navi gation, Pulteney Town Harbour, Elio Harbour, New quay Pier and Harbour and Railway, Reading Railway (Junction), Sianey River Improvement, Stockport, Dis ley, and Whaley-bridge Railway; Worksop Utterciffe Roads, Westminster Terminus Railway Extension (Clap ham to Norwood Abandonment), Blackwater-bridge and Roads, Cork and Youghal Railway, Hereford Cathedral Restoration Estate, Atlantic Telegraph Company, Dart mouth and Torbay Railway, Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway, East Somerset Railway, Newtown and Mac- Itynleth Railway, Priestwicb, Bury, and Ratcliffe Roads, and Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, London and North-Western Railway, Shropshire Canal Company. The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, and Lord Wensleydale. _ _ The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at a quarter-past five o'clock. Lord CAMPBELL presentel two petitions from Copal . Fife, one against the mode of levying assessments in Scotland, the other against the Lunatics (Scotland) Bill. from the salaries paid to her Majesty's diplomatic consu lar servants abroad. Mr. WILSON said that in point of fact no deductions were made. The persons referred to were clerks in the. Foreign-office, who acted as agents for the diplomatic officers, and were paid these sums in remuneration for what they did. The Government intended shortly to alter the system. ASSIMILATION OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN IRELAND. --- Sir W. VERNER naked the Chief Secretary for Ire land if it was his intention, on the part of the Govern ment, to bring in a bill. to assimilate weights and mea sures in Ireland next session ? _ . _ Mr. HERBERT said that a bill in reference to fairs and markets in Ireland was in preparation, which would embody a uniformity of weights and measures. IRISH MILITIA. Mr. CORRY asked the Under Secretary for War whether, in the event of a portion of the militia being embodied during the ecess, it was the intention of the Government to call ont any Irish regiments ? Sir J. RAMSDEN said it was the intention of the Government to select the most efficient regiments from England, Ireland, and Scotland. OATHS TAKEN BY MEMBERS-REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE. Lord J. RUSSELL brought up the report of the select committee appointed to inquire whether the 5 and William IT., chap. 52, was applicable to the oaths taken by members. It was read at the table of the house, and stated that the committee had considered the subject, aad had came to the conclusion that it was not applicable to oaths taken by members of that house. Lord J. RUSSELL said it would be impossible for him to proceed with the Oaths Validity Act Amend ment Bill this session, and he should move that the order for its second reading should be real and discharged. It would be neeessaiy for Parliament to consider this question at the commencemelt of the next session— (hear, hear)—and he gave notice that he should bring it again under the consideration of the house. (Hear.) The order was then read, and the bill withdrawn. COMMANDER KEPPEL. Sir C. NAPIER aAled, as Commander Keppel had been acquitted whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to recall him from China! Sir C. WOOD declined to answer the question. OATHS, &c., COMMITTEE. On the motion for the house going into Committee of Supply, Mr.NEWDEGATE moved for a list giving thename of every member who has each day attended the com mittee on oaths taken by members : and similar list after sitting of the above committee.—Agreed to. of the public service. What the Government now pro po,ed was, to acquire the ground in the neighbourhood of Dawning-street; on which two or three public offices should hereafter be erected. No steps would however he taken with regard to expenditure until the house had sanctioned it ; but in the recess Government woul'l con sider the merits of the respective designs, with a view of submitting a plan for the consideration of Parliament next session. (Hear.) Mr. HENLEY considered that the motion of the hon. member for Maids one would place them in a worse diffi culty than they were at present, that of having designs, but no site on which to erect them. Before the Govern ment decided on receiving designs they should have pro cured a site. It was a great hardship, and he did not con sider it honest on the part of the Government, to have given those gentlemen who had sent in designs so much trouble, and have put them to so much expense, and then tell them that they had no intention of carrying their plans out. (Hear, hear.) A great deal bad been said about the emergency of the case, from the Foreign-office, and especially the Colonial-office, being in so bad a state that fears were entertained of its falling. He admitted the offices were in a bad state, and the latter premises had been Idling for the last 29 years ; but he thought it was likely to last for some time longer—at all events till they had had an opportunity of considering and deciding on the plan to be submitted. Mr. BRISCOE objected to the magnitude of the de sign for the Foreign-office, which would require an out lay of 380,0001. He considered a reception-room, a pro menade-room, a double colonade for flowers, and a central hall, 50 feet in length, for music and suppers, in compatible with a building for the transaction of public business. The design was a very beautiful thing, but it was only a copy of the Hotel de Ville. If a Foreign Minister was compelled to hold receptions after a sty le the building indicated, he thought the result would be that when they had a needy Foreign Secretary, Parlia ment would be obliged to bear the expense. Another item for expense to be looked at was, that of furnishing such a mansion in a suitable style. Mr. TITE objected to a greater outlay at first, by way of experiment, than 400,0001. or 500,0001. for offices which he thought could be erected on the ground in Downing-street, and he warned them from committing a similar blunder to brat in connection with the houses of Parliament, where the expenditure had exceeded the estimate of 850,0001. by nearly two millions. The erection of the two designs that bad been selected —one in the Renaissance style, and, to a certain extent, a copy of the Hotel de Ville ; and the other, half French and half Italian, with the houses of parliament near them, would produce the most incongruous appearance, and would be such as no man of taste could for moment tolerate. He urged on the Government not to embark in building speculations without having first well considered their plans, or they would involve them selves in an outlay that would in all probability extend from five to ten millions. The house then divided, when the numbers were— Ayes Noes Majority The amendment was therefore lost. On the motion that the Speaker to leave the chair, Colonel NORTH called the attention of her Majesty's Government to the hardship inflicted on a large and me ritorious class of officers by the operation of the royal warrant issued in October, 1854, by which it became law that after an officer had commanded a regiment for three years—perfectly irrespective of the number of years he had served in the army—that officer was entitled to become a full colonel. The consequence was that mere boys, in point of service and experience, were pro moted over the deeds of officers who had served with the utmost credit and gallantry in all parts of the world. The subject had been brought under the notice of the Government a year and a half ago, and again at the eud of the last session by Col. Lindsay, but as the Govern ment had not shown any interest in the matter, as a con sequence, he had been counted out. Considering that the question was one of justice to a large class of officers he did not think that the course adopted by the Govern ment was one which reflected any credit on the Govern ment. Previously to the warrant of Oct., 1854, no officer except a Queen's aide-de-camp could be promoted over the head of another; and what these officers complained of was, that the warrant had been made retrospective. The consequence was, that those men, many of.whom had been promoted for gallantry in the field, found themselves passed over by boys, both in service and in age. 140 officers had been passed over. The thing could have been easily remedied at the time by bring ing forward those officers in a brevet, making a larger number of full colonels, and a smaller number of lieutenant-colonels. He bad proposed that course as one of common jusiice, and with a view to prevent the galling feeling which those officers bad expe rienced in seeing their juniors passing ever their heads. Hie complaint again , t the Government was that they had not taken into consideration the recommendations of the royal commission which sat on the warrant, to adopt some measure to obviate the injustice which the adoption of that warrant would (tense. The Govern ment had stated that they were taking the matter into consideration, but the way in which their consideration seemed likely to act, he would instance by mentioning the case of the present officer, Lieutenant 0-donel Denny. Up to the 30th of June last 64 junior of ficers had passed over his head, while at present the number amounted to 86. Was it not heart-rending to gallant men like that to see themselves passed over by officers who, compared to themselves, were mere boys, both in service and in the number of years they had been field officers I Many of the officers thus passed ever had received their promotion for gallantry in the field and suf fering from wounds, and having full reliance on the war rant then in force, by which no officer but a Queen'saide de-camp could pass over their heads, they bad refired from their regiments. Owing to the unfair course of the new warrant being made retrospective, their expectations had been deceived. In the natural course of things, those officers could only receive their promotion by sur viving the whole of 164 generals on the Army List, but how many of them were likely to survive that number of generals ? An officer now entering the army knew what he had to expect, but he did think it would be only justice to those who had been so injuriously affected by the warrant of 1854, to give them their promotion by brevet. He trusted, therefore, that their matter would be laid before the proper authorities with a view of so grievous an injustice being obviated. He should be glad to know how it was that while the officers and men of the French army were wearing the Turkish medal in 1855, net a single English soldier had yet re ceived it, although at this moment all the regiments wich were entitled to it were on their way to India ? He did not know whether it was the fault of the Foreign office or of the War-office ; but he did know that it was perfectly disgraceful that the officers and men of our army should be treated in that manner. There was another point to which he would advert before sitting down, that was the injustice of promoting officers com manding regiments to be general officers over the heads of men holding staff appointments, of so much resposi bility as those, for iostancs, of Deputy Adjutant-General and Deputy Quartermaster-General in Ireland. It was not fair that men holding such responsible offices as those should labour for years without any recognition of their services. He trusted, therefore, that the matter would receive proper attention from her Majesty's Go vernment. -130 Lord HOTHAM fully concurred in the remarks which bad just fallen from the hon. and gallant officer. Whe ther the Government were dealing with the claims of their civil officers or their military officers, there was one rule to which undeviating and strict attention ought to be paid—that of good faith. New good faith had not been kept with the class of officers alluded to. He therefore trusted that the Government would take some steps to remove the grievance of which they complained. Mr. STAFFORD adverted to the very unsatisfactory answers which bad been given by the Under-Secretary for War with respect to the clothing provided for the re giments lately sent to India —viz , the 97th, 20th, and part of the 42d Highlanders. It now appeared that those wen bad landed in India in the same uniform in which they had quitted Aldershot and Shorncliffe, with out even a single piece of white cloth to cover the hideous black chaco. From an answer given by the right honourable gentleman, he had concluded that the necessary provision against the burning sun of India would accompany the men in their voyage out. Now it was said that orders had been sent out, overland, to have sulable clothing provided for the troops by the time they arrived. He hoped it was so, and that those who had instructed the hon. gentleman to make that answer bad not misinformed him. But the statements made by the authorities had been denied by the journals. The same thing had happened in the Cri mean war, and though the Government had first denied the truth of the statements made by the press, they had proved true when too late. He trusted this divergence in the statement of the Government from what appeared to be fact, was not the precursor of another state of things which he could not, with all respect to the hon. gentleman, designate by any other name than disastrous. He hoped the honourable gentleman would inform them of the true state of things with regard to those troops', and that there would be no attempt to de ceive the house or the country on the matter, or the disgrace and dishonour which would fall on the Govern ment would be infinitely greater--taking into account the experience they ought to have obtained from the Crimean disaster—than that which had befallen them for their shortcomings in the Russian war. Sir DE LACY EVANS postponed the motion belied on the paper on going into committee of supply, to draw the attention of the house to the military arraagements being made for meeting the contingency that has occurred in the Bengal Native Army, in consequence of the ab sence of the noble lord at the head of the Government, and stated his intention to bring the subject under the attention of the house when the militia estimates were brought forward. The SPEAKER then left the chair, and the house went into committee of supply. On the first vote being proposed, one of 2,0001. for establishing a national portrait gallery. Mr. SPOONTM moved the diminution of the vote by the sum of 2 000/., because they had no right to-tax the public for such an object. If they allowed the vote to pass, he fores aw that it would be the commencement ?of many more votes of the same kind. No benefit would accrue iron- 5 it to the great mass of the people. We had spent already for science last year 272,000/ , under the bead of art 58,0001; and on the grounds of the new museu m at Kensington, 270,0001. making in all more than half a million of money, from which the great bulk of ',he - people would n e v er receive any benefit whatever. grantsT'eos ns e curreeast gone on increasing to the amounts they now were, and if t: s . h . r i .o c ui o lN m d Gih m enaßeg i tr t A .tttiaehnmei the theal ym g l a r eth e aaso e anku t ter t iettn o ohewe t a h y e r esent vote it would go 1 . 11 , at being his opinion be n ia i t i r t y tee fe on the= vote. Support sense people ° the f o ft .thevb oi this committee country c -Re h as much interest in the portraits of their eminent men as the higher classes. Mr. GILPIN meant to oppose the vote, because he held that such a gallery ought to be part of the Na tional Gallery. He believed an extra staff of officials to be needless, as those belonging to the National Gallery were quite sufficient to perform the duties of the proposed portrait gallery. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the vote bad originated in the House of Lords, where last session an address to the Crown had been agreed to on the subject of the establishment of a national portrait gallery of an historical kind, similar in nature to the sta tues which they had in one of the corridors of that house. In consequence of that address the Government had pro posed to the house last year a vote of 3,000/, for the foundation of that gallery. The house, after a debate, and upon a ilivisi n, had agreed to that vote, accordingly trustees had been appointed, and the foundation of the gallery had been made. Some donations had already been made to the gallery. Among others, the lamented Lord Ellesmere had presented to i a portrait of Shakes peare, of which he was the p rssessor. Under these circum stances, be trusted the house would not reverse the vote they had come to las: year, and refuse the moderate sum now asked f .r. It was not intended to apply any portion of the money to the payment of officers beyond the ve , y small stipend of, he thought, 1001. a-year, which war to be paid to the secretary of the t:ustees. At present tire space in the National Gallery was too limited to allow of the portrait gallery being placed Caere, but whenever the house agreed to any plan for the enlargement of the pre sent National Gallery, it would be then nompe tent for the Government to assign one or two rooms in connection with the National Gallery for the exhibition of the portraits connected with the new historical por tra't gallery. They, of course, would be in the care of the officers of twat gallery, so that all the money voted would be spent in the acquisition of pictures. Mr. WILLIAMS wished to know what had been done with the 2,0001. voted last year before the house voted any more money. Mr. COX, believing this to be the thin edge of the wedge, should oppose its introduction. He did not seo any use in a portra•t gallery at all. If they wished to make tho National Gallery of use, why not turn out the Royal Academy, and make that space available ; other wise they would have a National Gallery in three or f mr parts of London. He believed that no good would come of throw:og away the money of the people in such a way. Sir J. TREVELYAN said that it the working theses were allowed access o the gallery at times when they could vis.t it he would suppoit the vote. Mr. BRISCOE complained that be had not been per mitted to see the pictures already purchased. If only original portraits were to be purchased, he did not see how they were to form such a gallery, and did not think any adequate object would be gained to justify the expendi ture of 2,000/. a-year. He should oppose the vote. Sir W. JOLLIFFE wished to know if they were to go on spending money from which the public cou'd derive no advantage, for they had no place to exhibit the pic tures I He had hoped Burlington-house might have been appropriated to exhibit some of the national treasuia.s. As no one could see what they bad bought with the 20001. voted last year, he should oppose the vote altogether. Mr. LABOUCHERE said the question the committee bad to deeide was, whether it was worth while to have a national portrait gallery. He was of opinion that it would be most valuable in its effects on the people at large, who would regard such a collection with more in terest than they would ever accord to any mere cellec• tion of works of art. If the house sanctioned the prin ciple, it would be time when they got a sufficient collec tion of portraits to think of a gallery in which to put them. When a gallery was once formed, and attained a certain degree of excellence, portraits of great value would no doubt b e con t r ib u t e d: by persons who would be proud o: seeing their ancestors placed is a national col lection of that kind. It was impossible to discuss the proposition whiob some hon gentlemen entertained— that there was no interest in a collection of that kind. It was a matter of individual opinion, and for himself he could not conceive anything more interesting, instruc five, and valuable than a gallery of historical portraits. He should be very sorry if the house should, by refusing that vote, intimate its opinion that the nation had no interest in the question. Mr. DRITMMOND said it was commonly supposed that collecting a national portrait gallery was a very simple matter, but he had known a case, when searching for national port;rarts, where a large number of family portraits had been stowed away by a nobleman in a room over his stable, without their names, and with their faces to the ground. That 2,0001. would be the most foolish vote that could be passed, for the Government always did those things worse than anybody else. Mr. B. HOPE thought the cave cited by the member for West Surrey was the best possible argument for pro• viding for the p.ctures being placed with their backs to the wall as soot as possible. Mr. CONINGHAM said he was opposed to the vote on two grouncs—first, because there was mph ma chinery already in existence at the National Gallery ; and, secondly, because he was totally opposed to the appointment of irresponsible trustees, one of whom at least had proved himself utterly unworthy of public con fidence. The bon. gentleman then alluded to Sir C. Eastlake's puraiase of the spurious Holbein, and hoped the house would never hear it p u t f orwar d again that Sir Charles Eastlake was a very amiable man, in reply to a charge of such gross waste of the public money. Mr. DIRAELI defended the vote and comp'ained of the hon. maanter for Brighton in allowing h's d'=i'ke for Sir C. Em . stlske to prejudice his mind upon a national question. The right hon. gentleman then reviewed the various purchases that had been made for the nation by existing trusl;ees, and gave his opinion that for taste, skill, and national value, the fund paced at their dis• posal could not possibly be better expended. Mr. FRENCH deprecated the time of the house being occupied for hours together about the respectability of Sir C. Eastlake, whenjthe country was in astate of agita tion about the war in China and India, and about other Important matters. Mr. CONINGLIAM raid he meant to impute nothing Azainst the personal retipectabillty of the present trustees. The committee then divided. The number 3 were— For the vote B5 Against 31 Majority —54 - - Upon the vote for 2,0001. for inquiring into the causes of cholera in the West Indies, WILLIAMS said th ere h a d b een f i ve in vtlr ie; i n six years upon this subject, and he thought it was quite time that inquiry should cease. The vote was agreed to, and likewise a vote for 5001. for certain works at the mouth of the Humber, alter some remarks in opposition to Mr. A. Smith and Mr. Adams, and Lord Hotham, which were replied to by Sir C. Wood. e e y v o f t o e r o b f u l i 1 0 d , O i n o g ol a . d t d o t t i h o e n a London h D e Di es e a e n s d a n p a ß r u s Build ing a g e mr. housesv WILLIAMS thefor m opposed it. It was pretended th a t this was a contribution on the part of the Crown, to be paid out of the Crown property commonly called The Woods and Forests ; but that property did not belong to the Crown, having been surrendered in co ns id erat i on of a payment out of the civil list. He trusted that the co mm itt e e would resist; the vote, e s p ec i a ll y as presently precinctshathn e theyolefaLs leases sn w df e eo r in e l s e e m ei rc.e W es l ti L ro s a o te;w sa er id e 7 t 4 h l a , t o w o ih O E: l o . we should have plenty . .;o do with our mon e y. Th e c i v il last year. h t:he o w r h e ens t y ive in th re e v G er o s v io en n rment a net re n t a l i n th e mel.ro the Government had a net rental Of 150,0001. per aa n u m , andin, wouldpro pe r g t polis of half a million sterling. Besides this they had a large number of public buildings occupied by Government for Government purposes, bringing together a very large population. The Marquis of Wesiminster, the Duke of Bedford, and other owners of property had put down their names for large sums of money, and the Govern ment thought it was their duty to do the same as other large owners of property—namely, to provide churches for the property it bell. (Hear.) Sir J. PAKINGTON supported the vote. The popu. lation of the metropolis was increasing at the rate of 60,000 a-year ; but the means of divine worship were not by any means keeping pace with that increase. Mr. GILPIN said the large owners held the property on their own responsibility, and it was their duty to support religious and benevolent institutions. The Ge vernment held the property on behalf of the people, com posed of many religious sects, and to grant money for any particular sect was an interference with the funda mental princip'es of religious liberty. (Hear.) Mr. WHITESIDE supported the vote, although he knew such a privilege would not be extended to the Church of Ireland if it was asked for. This was a vir tuous vote, and, coming from the Treasury, he was surprised at it. (Laughter.) Mr. M. MILNES thought that upon the merest utilitarian grounds it was desirable to vote the proposed grant. . Mr. AYRTON opposed the grant on the ground tbat it was unnecessary. He believed that in London there was an abundance of Church property to provide for all the spiritual wants of the metropolis, but it was grievously misapplied. Mr. PACKE cheerfully supported the vote. Sir F. BARING would vote in favour of the grant. He thought it was the duty of the Crown to meet the voluntary efforts which bad been made on the part of the great proprietors in London to meet the existing want of clauech accommodation. (Hear.) Mr. BRISCOE thought that some por.ion of the reve nues of the see of London ought to be appropriated to the purpose for which this grant was asked, and then there would be no occasion for an appeal to the public. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the late Bishop Blom. field subscribed 5,0001. towards the proposed new churches. Mr. BEALE said he should vote against the grant. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER con tended that the Government, as a large holder of pro perty, was bound to make corresponding arrangements for the spiritual accommodation for those who res:ded upon it. Mr. DRUMMOND did not think this was the best way of providing church accommodation for the people, but, at the same time, he should not vote against the grant. Mr. COX reminded the committee that the Govern nearly ment had promised to bring in a bill for the abol ition of Church rates this session, they had arrived at the close of the session and no such bill had made its appearance. Mr. HADFIELD opposed the grant, contending that in exact proportion to the liberality of that house, ) private efforts abroad were contracted. The committee divided, and the numbers we 9 re--- For the vote ................................. 567 Against it ...................... ............. Majority ................................ 4 The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of 10,000/. to enable the Lord High Com missioner of the lonian Islands to improve the fortifica• tions of Corfu, Mr. WISE wished to know what was our exact posi tion in the lon;an I- Nadi—whether these works were to protect the Corfuites or to protect us from the Cor fuites ? Mr. LA.BOUCHERE said it was important that England should occupy that important military position which was afforded by the possession of the lonian Islands. It would be unreasonable to throw ail the expense of the fortifications on the in - habitants of the lonian Islands. Mr. WILLIAMS wished to know if the forts were in:;ended to defend us against the lonians, or the Imians against other people S He believed the former, for the lonians were our deadly foes. The possession of these islands was of no use, and were a great expense. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the forts were required both for .sanit-ry and military purposes. High authori ties had considered th&r possession of great value to us. Mr. BENTINCK denied that the lonians wero hostile to us. They were a wel!-conditioned set of men, and well-di-posed to us. The mischief had been done by discontented Englishmen, who went about and wanted to introduce the English constitution into a garrison town, Mr. A. STAFFORD said that the vote was rather too small than too larfze. He bore testimony to the ex cellent management of Sir H. Ward in preserving tran qtiltty in those islands during the dangerous crisis of the late war. Mr. LIBOTICHERE agreed with the hon. member as to the energy of Sir H. Ward during:the last struggle. He had just received from Sir J. Young, the present chief commissioner, a gratifying sta'ement. It was the first time that the lonian session had terminated without being brought to an abrupt termination. Great credit was due to Sir J. Young for his prudent management during his government. Mr. HENLEY said that he supposed the lonians were well whipped by Sir H. Ward, and had become better boys for the future. The vote was then agreed The next vote 2,0001. for the testimonial to the Duke of Wellington in Phoenix-park, Dublin.—Agreed to. On the vote of 10,5001 for the purchase of a chapel for the British residents and visitors in Paris. Mr. WISE moved that the vote be rejected. A chapel bad been built at Paris by the late Bishop Los combs at an expense of 6,0001. This chapel was subse quently offered to the Government, and afterwards sold to a M. Chamier for an annuity of 1,0001. a year to Bishop Luscom'oe, who died in six months. M. Chamier offered the chapel to the Government, but in spite of the representation of Lord Aberdeen and Lord Cowley, Sir R. Peel refused to purchase it. A further communica tion took place between Lord Normanby, M. Chamier, and the Government in 1849 and 1850, but Lord Nor manby and the Government both re:used to act on ac count of the exorbitant sum of 10,000/. a-ked by M. Chamier. This showed what was the feeling of the Government as regarded expense. The Govern ment, by the present vote, were violating the Act of Parliament regulating the purchase of chapels for British residents abroad, which re• quired that those residents should subscribe a part of the expense. Since the passing of the act we had paid 213,000/. for chapels abroad. He admitted that the present system of performing service at the embassy was a bad one. The service was performed sometiines in the dining room, sometimes in the drawirg room, and the room which overnight was devoted to ordinary purposes was that in which the chaplain officiated the next morn ing- But the House of Commons was not bound to provide church accommodation for those who choose to go abroad. At the chapel which it was proposed to purchase, there was the habit of charging one franc for admission, which was no more thnn was paid by Eng lishmen for their pew rents at borne. It was high time that they should look after this class of votes. A year and a half ago the owner of the chapel was Willing to part with it for 9,0001., but the Government refused, and said that they were going to build a chapel. The chanel had been sold to an American, but the pres sure exerted by our ambassador was such that the Ame rican gentleman was obliged to give up his purchase. He objected altogether to the system of making con tracts out of the civil service contingencies. It was cal culated to destroy all confidence in the Treasury, which ought to be the check on the public expenditure. He thought that an independent commission should be ap pointed to examine the report on the item of public ex penditure before they were submitted to the house. Mr. WILSON said that there was a chapel belonging to the ambassador at Paris, and everywhere else where we had an ambassador. The hon. gentleman had shown the inconvenience of the p-actice of holding divine worship in the room of the embassy at Paris, sometimes in one loom and sometimes in another. A proposition had been made to the Government to build a chapel in the old stable yard in 1849. This was not done, and since that time the value of property had so largely increased in Paris that we could not now pur chase a site for the sum now asked for a chapel. The question had been before the Government for many years. The minister thought the price of the chapel too high in 1849, and since then we had had no opper tuni'l of purchasing the chapel. It was the most econc mical arrangement to purchase the chapel rather than spend 500/. aye tr in imperfect arrangements. In January last Lord Cawley wrote to L Ord Clarendon to say that the chapel was fir sale. It was however then sold to an American gentleman, but the English resi dents were anxious to obtain the chapel, and the Ameri cans, out of respect to the feeling, gave up the chapel, ' and the Government then felt no hesitation in purchas ing it. The sum was 9,0001., the remaining 1,500/. was for contingent expenses and repairs. It was not intend ed that the rich English public sh get their services for nothing; they were to pay for their seats, and the expenses of the chapel would be paid, as the chaplain of the embassy would contribute. The act proposed by the hon, gentleman did not refer to the embassy chapel, which was voted entirely out of the pubiic funds. Mr. T. HANKEY tsked it there was any other single inikance where pew rents were charged in English cha pels abroad ? Mr. WILSON did not think that the English resi dents could object to paying a sum for the accommoda tion they would receive. Mr. HORSMAN said that they had willingly voted money for the church accommodation of poor persons abroad ; but here was a sum voted for the rich persons who went to Paris for their pleasure. There was an admitted church destitution at home, and we were asked to give a sum for the wealthiest set of Er.glishrnen in existence. The details were as faulty as the principle, for this sum was indignantly refused in 1849 as exorbitant. He trusted that the house would reject the vote. Lord H. VANE said that it was never intended that the public money should be given f r chapels abroad ; and for that reason an act was passed requiring► that one half of the money should be raised by the English abroad. He did not see why the act should be deported from. The wealthy population who attended the chapel were able to provide for their own worship ; and if this sum had been refused by the Government, they would have raised the money. He did not think they were warranted in consenting to this vote, which he charac terised as of an extravagant character. Lord PALMERSTON said that he could not agree in the principle that when the poor were not provided for, they should provide for no one else. This would prove tkat all the revenues of the country should be applied to the poor rates. This was not a valid argument. Is was asserted that the British residents at Paris were an aristocratic and exclu,ive body. This was not the fact. There were ten thousand British residents in Rani , many of them were not established there —those who were established there were mostly of the lower classes, who go there to live by their own industry, but who were not in a situation to provide the funds. It had long been a reproach to the British 'nation'that it had no place of worship at Paris except a room at the embassy. It was not true that the chaplain to the embassy was the domestic chaplain of the ambas sador. Parliament did not vote money for the chaplain for any such purpose. The officer was established to ad minister to all British subject.. It was argued as if this was an exceptional case. Now, the very arguments of those who opposed the grant refuted themselves, for they stated that sums of money were voted for chapels in consular establishments. It was true that the whole was not voted—only the half, but the principle was the same, and whether it was the half or the whole was only a question of amount. At sea-port towns the Govern ment gave a sum equal to that provided by the residents ; but the residents at sea-port towns were persons fixed there, whereas the majority of persons at Paris were there for six weeks or two months, and they cou ld no t expect that persons of so temporary a residence were likely to contribute largely towards the chapel, like those who were fixed there for many years. His hon. friend had stated that a number of the seats would be paid for, so that the chapel• would provide all its expenses. He was sure that all knew the general feeling —amounting to shame—that there was no proper place where the chaplain to the embassy would perform divine service in Paris. The vote supplied a deficiency which had been long felt. It had been talked of for many years. The residents had hitherto never subscribed for the chapel, and they never would subscribe. He hoped the house would consider that they were not establishing a new principle, but that they were supplying a want which had been long felt, which the honour of the country was engaged in supplying, and which was a disgrace to the I country. Lord J. MANNERS said that he did not know where the argument of the noble lord would lead them. At present the English residents were bound to contri bute one-half of the cost of every chapel erected, and it the principle of the noble lord was carried out, they would henceforth expect that they were to pay nothing, and demand the whole from the Government. He him self felt a great difficulty as to how he should vote, and rather wished to state the difficulties in order that they might be answered, than to argue the question . He did not see why, after the residents at Paris had so hog kept up a place of worship, they were now to be called upon to pay 10,5001. for one. Mr. WILSON said the noble lord had asked if the chapel did not at one time belong to the British embassy. The answer to that was, that it never did belong to the embassy at all ; it was private property. It was not in• tended to make a charge at the doors for admission, and the main body of the chapel would be devoted to the accommodation of the poor. Mr. HORSMAN said he had not stated that all the English residents in Paris were wealthy. What he had said was that the usual visitors to the embassy were of the wealthy gasses. Lord PALMERSTON said divine service had hither to been held in the dining-room of the embassy, and that was the reason why the poor could not attend, and that was the reason why they proposed to purchase this chapel for the poor. Sir , W. JOLIFFE thought this was a most extraordi nary propositi on to create a national chapel for the rich.. Mr. LIA.NKE Y . would ask whether the vote would in crease or diminish the chapel accommodation ! If it would really incleaee the accommodation for the pcor, he would not object to the vote, but he believed the con trary. would give greater accommodation to the rich. Lord PALMERSTON said at present no one could enter 010 chapel without payment, and it was proposed to establish a large number of free seat'. Mr. PEASE could not see why the English wealthy residents in Paris should not support their own place of religious worship. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to know if a con• tract had been entered into for purchasing the chapel I Colonel HERBERT opposed the vote, believing that it woule: not secure additi o: a l accommodation. Mr. SPOONER pressed the question with regard to the contract. Mr. WILSON said that be bad already stated that thechapel had been purchased and 2,0001, had been paid on account of it by Lord Cowley. Mr. M'CANN trusted that those who required ac commoLetion would be made to pay for it. The committee then divided— For the vote Agains it 135 _ --88 The vote was, consequently, lost, and the numbers were received with loud cheers. A. vote of 1 ; 500/. for the adjustment of certain baro nies in Ireland was then passed. A vote of 10,0001. was proposed for an industrial mu seum in Edinburgh. After a short discussion the vote was withdrawn. A vote of 8,970 for wire doors, &c., for the protection of public records was agreed to. A vote of 24 ,000/, for Chelsea New Bridge was pro posed. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said that estimates for this class of expenditure were simply trips and delusions. They began with an estimate of 60,0001., then it was 70,0001., then 75,0001, then 84 ; 0001., and then 94,0001. Could anything be more ridiculous than beginning with an estimate of 60,6001, and ending with 94,000/. ? He inquired what amount had already been expended, and bow much more would be required, and to what extent the money would be reimbursel by the tolls ? Sir B. HALL said he bad every reason to believe that 24,0001. would complete the ex2enditure. Mr. BENTINCK objected to the money of the coun try being expended iu local improvements. He thought they ought not to give a vote unless it was distinctly understocd that the vote was sufficient. There had been a good deal of talk lately about doing away with those tolls altogether, and they ought to have a distinct under standing that such an idea was not to be carried out. After a few words from Lord J. MANNERS, Sir D. NORREYS said that the official - estimates were merely a means of concealing the cost of pubic works. Mr. BRADY said that the public generally bail no idea how much this question affected private property. A.t the same time, a free passage over this bridge would be a great national advantage ; and he objected to this bill because it gave no guarantee that the bridge would ultimately be whqlly free to the public. He would op pose the vote. Lord C. HAMILTON thought that there was a breach of fai:l in this matter, as it was ucderstood when the grant was given that it should be repaid from the pro cetds of this bridge. Government were not carrying out the Rpirit of the report, for they did not show that the bridge would be made a public bridge. Sir B. HALL explained, and referred to the report of the committee, who were of op'.uiJn that the tolls ought not to be taken from foot pa9sengers. It would require 24,000/. to complete the bridge, , and the original un derstanding ought to be fulfilled. After a few words from Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, Sir B. HALL explained. Mr. INGRAM. said that if the tolls were kept on, the property would be worth nothing ; but if the tolls were abolished the property would pay for the bridge. If the park was for the people there ought to be no toll on the bridge. Mr. TITE supported the vote, and went at some length into the evidence before the committee. The bridge must be a toll paying bridge ; thatre gretted, but certainly they must finish the bridge, or it would be a disgrace to the house if it were not completed when so nearly finished. After a few words from Mr. CLIFFORD, Mr. P. O'BRIEN, on the ground that public faith ought to be kept without reference to the interest of Chelsea or Battersea, defended the report of the com mittee. Some improvements ought to be carried out by local merns. Sir W. JOLLIFFE had not maintained that tolls ought to be maintained on the London b:idges, but while thew depended on tolls, free bridges should not be put in competition with them. Mr. PLATT thought the whole country ought not to be called upon to pay for local benefit. Mr. WILLIAMS moved that the chairman report progress. The question was then put, and the vote agreed to. PUBLIC BUSINESS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER asked the committee as a matter of convenience to agree to the next two votes. He had stated at the commence ment of the session that ho would ask only 8,0001. to complete the snm necessary for the purchase of land f the site of the public offices. Since that time it had been found necessary to purchase alditioual land. But be would now only ask the commit . ..ea to vote the sum of 8,0001. instead of the 50,000/. illr. DISRAELI said it would be convenient to the committee to know what would be the busihess to be proceeded with at s.x o'clock to-morrow (this day). The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said they would go on with the supply, and, it possible, with the ways and means. Mr. DISRAELI gave notice that he would put a question to the noble lord respecting the transactions that had recently taken place ai; Constantinople. Mr. PACKE said they had now been sitting nine hours, and he hoped the committee would agree to report progress. Mr. DRUNIMOND said that it had been distinctly understood that at e.x o'clock to-morrow (this day) the Divorce Bill would be proceeded with. Mr. GLIDSTONE wished to know whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer spoke in ignorance of the arrangement made with reference to the Divorce Bill ? ---- • Lord J. MANNERS desired to know what was the intention of Government with respect to that bill ? Mr. BENTINCK asked whether it was customary after an ar7angement as to the course of the business to depart from it ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was very unusual at the end of the se,,sian to make such changes. Cdk wished to know whether the Government meant to proceed with the D:vorce Bill at all ? The CHAIRMAN said this was quite irregular; the question was that he report progress. Mr. DRUMMOND—Then I object to the course of reporting until the pledge given by Government is id filled. The question that the Chairman report progress was then put and carried, and the house resumed. EDUCATION. Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the noble lord at the head of the Government when he would give him a day for bringing forwa-d the quesLion of education ? Lord PALMERSTON said it must depend on the business before the house. If possible he would give the right hon. baronet Friday next. THE DIVORCE BILL. Sir G. GREY, in answer to a question, said that the Government intended to proceed with tan Divorce Bill at 12 o'clock on Thursday, and if necessary at 6 o'clock on the same day. (Rear.) Lord J. MANNERS hoped they would not give the whole day to the question. The subject then dropped. ECCLESIASTICAL COMAIISSION BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this bi , l, Mr. L. KING moved that it be read a third time that day three months. Mr. CAIRD referred to the fluctuating value of linded property, and opposed the bi'l, which would further de. teriorate such property. Under this bill a bishop would have an interest in diminishing the value of.the property, The Ecclesiastical Commission had worked well, and they ought not to revert to the old system, and reverse a po licy which had so far succeeded. It would involve a double system of, land agency. He thought it would be better to let the matter rest as it stood. He should sup port-the amendment. Sir G. GREY said the hon. member had misunder stood the purpose of the VD, which was not to reverse the recent policy, but to carry it out more comple:;ely. Mr. BRISCOE said this measure was too important to pass at this time of the session. If one could live without sleep, one could make oneself acquainted with all these Lids. (Rear, hear.) Sir J. PAKINGTON said the bill bad been so long before Parliament that if the hon. member was not ac quainted with it, that was his own fault. (Rear.) After a few wor le from Mr. AMTON, Mr. HADFIELD moved the adjournment of the de. bate. - The bill wag then read a third time, and passed, DULWICH COLLEGE BILL. Oa the order for the third reading of this bill, KNIGET moved that the order be discharged. Mr. COX seconded the amendment. Mr. M. T. BAINES, chairman of the select corn mittee, defended the course he had taken with reference ';o the bill. After a discussion, in which Mr. Malins, Mr. Lygon, Mr. Headlam, Mr. Henley, Mr. Greer, Mr. John Locke, and Mr. W. Williams took part, The house divided, when the numbers were - For Mr. Knight's motion B6 Against it Majority —27 On the motion that the bill be now rind a third time, Mr. KNIGHT opposed it. He said that of all the plunders of the chari,ie3 of the poor, this was the grossest, and it was d!sgraceful to pension three officers for life out of funds belonging to the poor. Mr. COX moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr. D. NICOLL seconded the moiion. The house then divided. The numbtra were— For the adjournment Against it Majority —36 Mr. LYGON moved the adjournment of the house. Sir G. GREY said that nothing could now be gained by such a proceeding. Lord PALMERSTON opposed the motion, a n d sa i d that the Goiernment were determined to sit on till the third reading was carried. ._After some further discussion, the Motion was with draw 3); apd.the bill. was read,,a third time and passed. The Lords' amendments to the Glebe Lands (Ireland) Bill, Banking Bill, Crown, do., Suits (Scotland) Bill, Land Tax Commissioners' Names BM, were considered and agreed to. PUBLIC OFFICES EXTENSION BILL. The order for the third reading of this bill was read and discharged. JOINT STOCK COMPANIES Acr (1856) AMENDMENT BILL. This bill was read a second time. The other orders were dispoied of, and the house ad journed at a quarter past two o'clock. LIEUT. COLS. OF THE ARMY. General PEEL asked the Under-Secretary for War, if the attention of the military authorities had been di rected to the case of certain Lieutenant-Colonels of the Army who have been passed over and superseded under the provisions of a Royal warrant of the ail day of October, 1854, their commission as Lieutenant-Colonel being dated before that warrant was issued ; and whe ther it was intended to restore these officers to the rela ti 70 position of which they have been deprived by its retrospective action. General COD RINGTON bore testimony to the hard ship of this order. There were at present from 60 to 80 promoted fur distinguished service before the date of the warrant, who had been kept back in consequence of its operation. CHINA. TROOPS. Mr. ROEBUCK called attention to a previous state ment of the Under Secretary for War that the soldiers sent to China were properly provided with every re quisite to stand the climate, and said that, accord ing to the newspapers, the men had not been furnished with covering for their helmets and foraging cape. He asked for an explanation on whose authority the statement was made. Sir J. RAMSDEN admitted that the warrant re ferred to by General Peel had•worked differently to what ;sad been expected, but he was unable to say what pre cise steps would be taken to remedy it. It was under consideration of the authorities for revision. Referring to the hon. and learned member for Sheffield (Mr. Roe buck's) question, the hon. bart. said that the troops gone to China bad taken covers for their helmets and foraging caps. The cavalry, artillery, and engineers, for India, bad taken with them covers made up. The infantry bad not been supplied with the covers, but they would receive them on landing. Government had ascertained there would be no difficulty in obtaining the materials there, and orders had been sent out overland to get the covers made up with the utmost dispatch. THE NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES. Mr. HOPE mcved that an bumble address be pre sented to her Majesty, praying her Majesty to appoint a royal commission to consider the site and plans of the proposed new public offices, and particularly the Foreign and War Offices, and to report on the same. He was induced to ask for this commission in) consequence of the judges having adopted a block plan of a different character to the ele vations, the effect of which was that they were not adapted one to the other, and if attempted to be carried out would entail an immense expense, and be a:ter wards found to be a failure. He also complained of there being two separate buildings —one for the war and the other for the foreign-office instead of one buildi ng suffi ciently large to ac co mmodate both Departments. The cost of the site in Downing -street and Charles street would be 170,0001. That might be saved, if Government adopted his suggestion, by building these two offices on part of the parade ground in St. James's park. It would also prevent the demolition and re. building of the Colonial-office and other public buildings. His proposal would form part of a great whole, which would follow, and leave those streets which the Govern ment proposed to take for the offices to be thrown open so as to carry St. James's-park down to the river. He contended that all the buildings should be under one roof, and should communicate with each other by pas sages and telegraphs, and staircases. Upon everyground he required further inquiry, for there had not been suf ficient investigation, and the public kaew nothing about the matter. He concluded by submitting the motion of which he had given notice. Col. PENNANT seconded the motion. • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the effect of the motion if carried would be to take the subject out of the hands of Government and to place it is the hands of a royal commission, that would virtually have to decide the sites for the proposed buildings. He consi dered it very objectionable to refer the subject to a soyal commission. It left in the hands of the Executive, they would consider not only the plans with reference to what was most convenient combined with a reasonable amount of decoration, but also the amount of public money that would be required. A royal commission would proceed in a different manner. They would con sider that the best manner in which the object in view could be accomplished would be by deciding on notonly the best site, but the largest plan, with the greatest amount of decoration, as conducive to the embellishtent of the town, without regard to cost. He felt unable to accede to the motion, on the grounds that it would either engage the house in a useless and unnecessary expense in comparison with the object to be attaine], or create atiether delay by laying before the Government another set of plans framed on so extravagant a scae as would lead to their rejection by them (hear, hear). The Government proposed, and all that they wished in this session of Parliament was to obtain such a grant of public money as would enable them to actuire a site sufficient for the erection first of a Forsign office, and afterwards of one or two offices as chum. stances might require. Beyond that the Government had no desire to go, and he assured the house that the Government were by no means ambitious of embellishing the town with extensive elaboratedly decorated public buildings. Lord J. RUSSELL objected to the course pursued by the hon. member for Maidstone, and complained of the somewhat strange course adopted by the Government— (hear, hear)—first in asking for plans of buildings of handsome description, and after the artists had displayed their ability, and furnished them, to be informed that the Government had no site on which to erect them. (Hear, bear.) It was not a practical course of proceed ing. If the Government only intended to spend a limited and reasonable sum of money in the erection of public offices, they should have informed the artists of it, and the site, and have asked for plans accord. ingly. He considered that if the Government required the erection of several offices, it would be better to have them in one building rather than in distinct erections. As the Government had determined upon throwing the plans on one site, he hoped that when they came to that house for a sum of money, they would be in a position to state exactly what it was they did want. When he examined the plans exhibited in Westminster Hall he considered them very handsome, and that they partook more of the character of palaces than public offices, and he cautioned the Gouernment against a repe tition of the blunder that had been committed in refer ence to Buckingham Palace, which had cost the country nearly a million of money. Ater some remarks from Sir D. NORREYS, Sir B. HA LL said that the present Foreign and Odle nial Offices were in a very ruinous state, requiring either to be rebuilt, or a large sum of money expended on them to make them secure; and the War-office required a larger building, so as to concentrate the six or seven branches that were scattered about the West-end under one roof. Last year the committee that eat on public offices decided it was desirable that the public offices should be concentrated, and that if it were necessary to rebuill them, to call in the most competent talent that the world could produce. In consequence of that " recommendation ho waited on the Government, and, ac cording to their instructions, he took the necessary steps for remedying the evils complained of. One general plan was laid down for the building of the offices that would, if required, form in the end one whole, on which sur. veyor s were called on to furnish specffications for laying out the ground from Downing -street to Richmond-ter race on the north, and from Westminster-hall to Great ncifiGeorge -street on the south. Before sending' out the i.pe caiatiooshecommunicated with the Foreign and Colo. of the rooms their respectivee con templated their erection specified. Ministersr and was informed of the number and size required for carrying on the business of It was in r icd t o m uo e uo n rn t departments, n iai d ernb t o h uu e ini dt p i l no a gf ie asse spacenregarded d had been made against consequence of the complaints that architecture and design that tects of the world, a.ad the responded to had been witnessendn lieved had met with general favoni h m e a appealed to the archi -7: in which it was all, and he be (allear, hear ) Among the designs were se veral from would be for the house to consider whether E tl e e rie t • It that had been selected were too grand and too expeenssree and ought not to be proceeded with ; but, at the same time, be begged to remind the house that they were nono of them too large for efficiently conducting the busic e " , THE TROOPS FOR INDIA. The remarks made in the House of Common last night upon our observations on the alleged light clothing of the troops in India entirely. bear out our statement of yesterday. It will be recollected that on Thursday night Sir John Ramsden said that In addition to these the troops now going out to China and India have been provided with white cotton helmet and forage cap covers." "In fact, the Government have taken every precaution to o maintain the health and comfort of the troops. The accuracy of these remarks we felt compelled to dispute, and to deny that the "white cotton helmet" and "forage cap covers" bad been issued, more particularly to the regiments which had been most recently embarked. The subject, as will be seen from our Parliamentary report, again last night attracted the attention of the House of Commons, and this time Sir John's statement was of the most qualified description, since in strict official parlance, "he found on inquiry that the state of the case was this :—.The troops sent ou t to China had received cap covers, or the materials for making them. The cavalry, artillery, an a , engineers sent to Indi a t oo k w i t h them cap a nd helmet covers made up, but the infantry now pro ceeding to India did not take with them cap covers. The material, however, would be provided for them in India, and he was informed there would be n° difficulty in getting any amount of matei ial in the shortest possible time." Now, as the infantry form about 90 per cent. of the whole force which . Sir John stated had cap covers, and which we stated had not, we leave it to our readers to decide which is in the right. We are, however, q uite satisfied at.having so directed public attention t° the matter that the question is not likely to be overlooked in the relaxation of the approaching recess. —Times. Country Markets. CHELMSFORD—Auct 7. Harvest' operations again caused a thin attendance et market, and a general dulness prevailed. New wheats came to hand in fine condition, and realised good prices• Old wheats were about the same as last week; an d there was no variation also in other articles. Wheat., white, old, per s. s. S . 0., A gr. 52 68 i Oats, per qr 24 S u new.... 62 66 Peas, Partridge 41 44 red, old 50 60 1 White 39 41 new....50' 58 Boiling 39 46 Barley 35 46 D un 40 45 Chevalier 40 51 1 Beans, Tiek 40 43 Grinding 35 46 1 Malt 73 77 1 Il m a a rr za o g w an ticke 36 41 4 : 3 5 Chevalier 75 79 I 'Ditto, n0w...36 " Official Statement of the Qua: in the port of London, fro . Aug. 3 to Aug. 8, both inc fltities of Corn, &c., Ivo om the following ports, flusive. .4 14; al er; ° • XI ill Colchester Harwich Leigh Malden 785 --- - -- 700 - 251 -- - - -- - 455 233 - - - 1 Aced froni 1..... .... COLCHESTER— Alm. 8. A moderate supply of wheat, but principally new; th e weather being show er y an d unse t t l e d , a fa i r demand ,",a new wheat was experi ence d a t l as t wee k' s prices. v't, wheat must be noted is p er quar t er d earer. W e h a ve D '" new barley at market at present, some samples shown ark fine in quality and weight. Beans and peas ara with cal change in value. Prices to-daywere as follow :--Wheat, white, 62s to 70 2 . red, 58s to 625; barley, 38s to 45s ; oats, 28s to 30s ; bea eF ? Mazagan, 40s to 445 ; middl e and smal, 44s to 48s; P er ' s ' white, 38s to 42s ; grey, 42s to 465. KIRKCALDY—AuG. 8. We had a large supply of wheat to-day, which met 16 dull sale, at about last day's- rates. A few parcels of oats and one or two of barley ; sales slow at last week's rates. Wheat. I Barley. Oats. I Bean s. First 62s Od I 36s 61 ( 31s Od I Os od Second 478 Od Ns Od I 28s Od Os Od Third 32s Od —s 01 j 27s Od I Os Od I COAL MARIO Prices of Coals per ton at B. d. Hastings Hartley 17 3 Earsclen's Hartley l5 6 Haswell Gas 13 9 Walker Primrose 13 9 Newcastle. Hartley 15 6 Benton West Hartley 15 6 N.-AUG. 10 the close of the market Wallsend, g . 1 . 3 eaham 16 d 3 Russell's Hetton 16 9 1 Hough Hall 16 6 0 Hartlepool Hetton l6 Hunwick l5 Hetton Lyons Main l5 3 Brown's Moor Haigh .15 ••• • 15 n ° Main Plummer l6 u S e a ero ft 115 ° Gord on , 53; sold, 50, V7allgend, Eden Main l6 3 Tees lB 0 Whitworth l6 0 Eden .16 3 Ships at marke THE WORTHING MINING COMPANY.—YeBtOrday the annual meeting of the proprietors was held at the race° of the company, St. Helen's-place, Cyrus Legg, Es 1 ' in the chair. Th e report an d accounts were flu ent' mously adopted, the retiring directors and auditors re' elected, and a vote of thanks to the chairman and direr' tors trrminated the proceedings. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pigs cured a wound in the leg of eleven years' standing. Mr' Welch, chemist, of Brighton, states in a letter to Pro' fessor Holloway, dated Sept. 6, 1855, that Mr. cathe• rine Hudson, of Cavendish-place, in that town, had been suffering for eleven years from an ulcerous wound in the leg, for which she had been under medical treatment e t the London and Brighton Dispensaries, but derived De benefit therefrom ; the application, however, of 11 01 ' loway'a Ointment, and the use of Holloway's Pills, have effected a perfect cure.—Sold by all medicine vendors throughout the world, at Professor Holloway's Elt ele. blishment, 244, Strand, London, and 80, Maiden* I%ne, New York ; by A. Stampa, Conetau-tinople ; - 04 .* Guidicy, Smyrna; and E. Muir, Malta. [ADVERTISEMENT.}— SIGHT AND HEARING SPECTACLES -.•*° POWERFUL TEEESCOPES OPERA, RACE, AND PERSPECTIO GLASSES. —S. and B. Solemons, opticians, 39, Albemarle' street, Piccadilly. Obs erve — o p pos it e the York Rotel, W' By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and et%:. traordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Race-course, Opera, and Perspective Glasses, to know foe distances. These Telescopes posseSS such extraordinary power that some, threo and a-half inches, with an extra eye-piece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; With the same telescope can be seen a person's countenance three -and-a-half miles distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. For the waist coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing powers accerdin;dy. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. —A valu able, newly-invented, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and -known one and a-half mile distant They answer every pur pose on tho Race-course and at the Opera-houses. Country scenery and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Operas Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful powers.—levaluable preserving Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The great advantage derived from this invention is, that vision impaired becomes Pre' served and strengthened, and very aged persons, are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occupation—can see with those lenses of a much less magnifying power—and they do not require the frequent changes to the dan gerous effects of fintber powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the mod, remote part of the world by send ing one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the dist .nce from the eye they can read email print with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by staling their age. Deafness.—New Discovery. —The Organic Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful, small, newly-invented instrument for deafness, entirely different from all others, surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or probably can, be produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not percepVble. It enables deaf persons to hear disiinctly aits. 4 church and at public assembhes ; the unpleasant sensation , • singing noises in the ears is entirely removed, and it affords a'l the assistance that possibly could be desired.-39, Albe•pe. marle-street-Piccadilly.—Opposite the Yorkl{otel, W. BIRTHS. OF A SON, On the 10th inst at No. 2, the Villas, Eaton-terrace St. John's-wood, the wife of C. Chapman, Esq., F.S.A. On the 9th inst., at Durham, the wife of Edgar Meynell, Esq., barrister-at-law. OF A DAUGHTER OwnitchkehaBin Barnes,hinst., atAyles On the 9th in ford, Kent, th e w if e of Mr. J. st at No. surgeon. . 3, Westbnry-places, Green lanes, Tottenham, Mrs. Wm. Wood. MARRIED. On the Bth inst., George Lilwall, Esq., Breconshire, to M.A.H.E., only child. o f Mathew Bentley, Esq., of the Admiralty, Somerset-house, and 3, Petersburgh-terrace, Bays water. On the Bth inst., Richard Scott, Esq., late of Sussex gardens, to Charlotte Anne, eldest daughter of James Powell, Esq., of H am i lt on -terrace, St. John s-wood. DIED. On the 9th inst., at Dorking, John Savage, Esq., in the 8 7th year o f hi s az e. On the Bth inst., at Lower Norwood, Surrey, Robert iloggazit, inst Esq., aged 76. On the Bth in, Charlotte Anne, the beloved wife of the Rev. R. W. P. DaVies, of Court-y-Gollen, Breconshire, aged 46. On the 10th inst., Elizabeth, wife of Mr. John T. Bed• ford, of King-street, Snow-hill, aged 45. On the 9th inst., at Thornton-heath, Croydon, Edith the infant child of W. B. Lanfear, Esq. On the 10th inst., aged 63, Mary Wildman, the beloved wife of Mr. Minister, of 10, Chalcot Villas, Adelaide road and 8, Argyll-place, Regent-street. fi - ' LOITDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in . the Precinct of the Savoy. in the county of Middlesex, Tuesday, August 11, 1857. 1 ~i I%' 8,P4 8t 'h ='OM M LIS missi this healt also and Acid 8, On BAT. A ug duce( week Grea mimi band, Fishi has t Marti NIG! first ' from "Ti F ior, 3 past may and , perfo: in tin the C Impel ceive 5001. Coat, Wais S' lessee the 'S WAI Bottl Man and the treat ing CA Pa it thl day an au Ev and 1 and r signe the of ea and insta persc on Is Mad fit fa man 1867 Will any auth ands Mad by 1 bout Perri