The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-16 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
-, In the HOUSE OF LORDS, March 11, Earl Granville begged
r ask the noble earl the Secretary for Foreizn Affairs
nether he could confiem the statement, which to him ap-
t,red satisfactory, that Her Majesty's Government had
siePosed to the other Powers that Greece should be repre-
sented at the forthcoming Congress or Conference.
The Earl of Darby replied that he was in a poeition to
eceitrin that statement.
The Earl of Careperdown, in moving the second reading
kni,the Metropolitan Board of Works (Election of Members)
, i, explained that it proposed to give the right of election
ier the ratepayers direct, instead of leaving it as at present
with the vestries.
, Lord Middleton defended the Board, who, he said, had up
r thls time carried out their duties in reference to sewage,
utiv streets, embankmente, perservatiou of commons, and
Other !natters, hi a very satisfactory manaer. The Bill, which
4,48 of a sweeping and revolutionary cnaracter, would
tablish a sort of triennial Parliament, by tinning out all
ue members of the Board once in three years, and would cause
ecauorrnous expense to the ratepayers by the adoption of the
nrbrons and expensive machinery need in the election of
achool boards.
The Measure was also opposed by Earl Beauchamp, but
sciilPported by Lord Aberdere, and Earl De la. Warr; and on a
Pekin the motion for second reading was rejected by 54 to
e' votes,
,s Lord De La Warr inqued whether the Government could
r)' on the table the Orders issued by the Privy Council to
egnigate the transit of cattle by land and sea.
jhe Duke of Richmond and Gordon replied that he
- „I:.sh..noed, objection to the production of the information
[ _
.. Lord Truro, after describing a case of alleged cruelty to
,_,cat by six students at The Yews, Beaconsfield, asked
7nether the Government were prepared to institute inquiries
alto the ciretunstances.
I_ lord Beauchamp said that the case was tried by a corn-
PO tent bench of magistrates, and they came to the conclu-
Role that the charge of cruelty was not made out.
ilLard Granville thought it to be quite impossible for the
in,nlisid of 'lords to investigate a case which had been inquired
' "e by the magistrates.
Cottesloe said he had seen the depositions of the
. Witnesses, and in his opinion they established no case for a
e conViction.
he
Stanhope asked Lord Derby whether, in the eve* of
ti! eneuing Conference being held at Berlin, he would urge
hat In no circumstances would it be desirable that the
sePresentative of either of the belligerents should preside.
Lord Stratheden and Campbell inquired whether the Con-
eyence would have full power either to endorse or to reject
whatever proposals might he submitted to it.
Lord Denman recommended that Parliament should be
splerogued during the sitting of the Conference, fur he
sueuget that the remarks continually being made on this
labjeet were not worthy of a Legislative Assembly.
,tord Derby said it was the general rule that thePresicient
''' a Congress should be selected by the members of the
°tigress, and it was also customary that the representative
°f the country in which the Congress was held should be
ereeee President, unless there existed some reason to the con-
-0—"1_ • Ile held that there would be little use in holding a
ttigress unless that body had not only the nominal but
toe:real power of dealing with the whole matter submitted
irt hut on that subject he was in communication with the
Other Governments.
eeThe Exchequer Bonds (£1,000,000) Bill was read a second
and their lordships adjourned.
. elO the HOuSE OF COMMONS, in answer to Sir W. Lawson
'ard Sandon (who on rising in his place after his late India
-
Position was loudly cheered) said,—l am glad to say that we
itre assured that no further deaths have occurred from the
, oUtbreak of Cattle Disease at Alford. No claim for compen-
sation has been made upon the Government, and as the
disease does not come within the provisions of the Con-
, ,_stgioUs Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, no such claim could be
'Ade. lam informed that some of the food which had been
' ttalaken of by the cattle prior to the outbreak. was analyzed
i
• e_ a that no poisonous agent was detected 11l It. I ought to
'clentlon the cause to which the most experienced Inspectors
sthe Privy Council are inclined to attribute the oisease,
„xi, I almost fear to shock the hon, baronet too much by
n 80. However, I think I oueht to inform the House
that..s they think it probable that this very serious disease
Z"g.)a_a induced by drinking water. (Great laughter and cheer-
-0 I,a answer to Mr. Waddy, Sir C. Adderley said in the
itnion of the advisers of the Trinity House the cost of blow-
), g 111) the Eddystone Rocks, and another reef which would
ecessarily have to be blown up also on the landward side of
ii4era, would be ten times the cost of building a new light-
and the lighthouse standing out from a long recess
' Of the shore from the Lizard to the Start is so useful for the
' litarigation of the Channel that, if there were no rocks there,
The still 15e necessary to place a light in that position.
' i": 18 rock selected for the new site is 20 formed and pro-
70ed that there is no danger of its being similarly damaged
: ee,l the sea, as the present site has been. A report from the
-"laity House on the subject would be laid upon the table.
a In answer to Lord R. Montagu, who asked a question as
. eo the cession of the Turkish fleet and the war indemnity,
,‘ The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the terms of
' 'no Treaty between Russia and Turkey had not yet been
'''',,Onnunicated to Her Majesty's Government, and it was
e"eerefore better not to attempt to answer the noble lord's
• eeluestion, as he might possibly and very probably fall into
"Me error if he were to do so (hear, hear.)
: , lifir D. H. Wolf asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if
be could inform the House whether the statement was cur-
. reet that Lord Derby had proposed that Greece should be
represented at the Congress.
2 , The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied that it was quite
• ' 4110. (Loud cheers from both sides of the House.)
' Roo the order for going into Committee of Supply, Mr.
eee_errecn moved that hon. members before moving for re-
teeial3 should ascertain the approximate time and expense
. t:rinired for their production. This, after an explanation
one Colonel Stanley, was negatived. •
11r. Seely next submitted his views upon the system fol-
. ;owed by the Adinirality in obtaining and settling designs
_ 40! ships of war and carrying such designs into execution.
,
, :ate led to a discussion respecting the Inflexible, in the
. ineni'se of which Mr. Samuda expressed a preference for the
wanderer type of ship.
tellr. Egerton admitted that the Department was slow to
eutroduce improvements, but contended that we had a fleet
renerior to that of either France or Russia. The Inflexible,
thought, we. the most powerful man of war afloat.
: r The debate was continued by Mr. E. T. Reed, who
, ewed at great length the history of the Inflexible,
9sisting with great earnestness that the ship was fatally
fault on the point of stability. Ho did not deny
aat she was " unsinkable "- in the sense that if she
ennld be kept upright she would take as long to sink as any
' other ship. But in addition to the average danger of
'Linking there was superadded the horror of a tendency
. el; eaPsize, and he warned the Adniiralty they were
e,',T,g ina fool's paradise if they supposed that the report
" 'de ship was in her favour in comparison with what she
e,-
las intended to be. What he complained of was that the
inflexi,iie was put forward as being the finest ironclad ship
„a: the orld, although she had in her the elements of danger
,T, 'Which he had alluded—namely, the risk of capsizing.
"'Leal', hear.)
, . Mr. Goschen accepted for the Admiralty of which he was
ileinernber the responsibility for the desigo of the Inflexible,
- hot Wish
it had undergone alterations since. Indeed, he did
"", Wish that the present Government should have all the
he for this ship, which he believed would prove one of
l'ae best and most powerful in the navy. Time tremendous
. P°W, er of the Inflexible was what he eet store by, and if she
1:les antagonists that had more protected sides but less pro-
e
- eted turrets and boilers, she was certain to reach the
, turrets and boilers of the other ships before they could fire
4 sufficient number of shots to injure her.
:el?n the motion of Mr. Gent, the debate was then adjourned
..ti Thursday.
- the Attorney-General then moved the second reading
hoif
t" bankruptcy Bill, which is identical wigs the measure
Rouse. In the Lord Chancellor in 1876 and 1877 in the other
. _else. In its principal clauses it provides that an
nUdication of bankruptcy need not necessarily follow on
: t.Detition being presented, but that it shell rest with
"e creditors to determine. the course to be pursued after
4 nlin at ion of his conduct and affairs; restraint is also
Placedrt; on the present facilities for liquidations by arrange-
. `n,, and securities are also taken that the majority of
Creditors, which are to bind the minority, shall be real and
Sabstantial.

I

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eter—a—short conversation the Bill was read a second
1,13'e, and, some other business having been disposed of, the
""olise adj,mrned at ten minutes to one o'olock.

e'en the HOUSE OF Loans, March 1.2, Lord Sudeley moved the
a
end reading of the Matrimonial Clauses Acts Amend-
ille, and stated that its provisions had for th&r object
r enable the Divorce Court to make provision for the costs
`pittervention and to order a money provision for the wife
„nsen the husband, on presenting a petition on the ground
"` nift Wife's adultery, should be proved to have been him-
guilty of a matrimonial offence.
s The Bill was read a second time, after a few words in
'l4lrceval of the measure from the Lord Chancellor
01 Contagious Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill was, on the motion
't Lord Emly, referred to a Select Committee.
The report of the amendments to the Territorial Waters
ction Bill was agreed to.
is„Tshe Select Committee on the Entail Amendment (Scot-
un)Bill was nominated, and their lordships adjourned.
'ln the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Sir E. Wilmot asked the
' Chancellor of the Exchequer if the statement is correct that
tla
e Russians, notwithstandirg the signature of Peace, are
, tithe.tivelY engaged In intreuching the lines extending across
- neck of the isthmus of Gallipoli, opposite the advanced
/yorks of the Turks.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer : The Govemment have
7." heard anything of the Russians being engaged in in,
Lren
' _—"ung the lines extending across the neck of the isthmus
poll According to the latest information received
011 the subject by the Government the Russian outposts
Were on the further side of the Kavatch river, about twelve
,hi"
R..—es Irons Bulair, and their main body was believed to be at
4ikojabput fifteen miles from Bulair.
s fillajor Nolan having proposed a resolution to the effect
. os More attention should be paid to experiments on
Riaw sYstems of breech-loading ordnance then had been
'en for the last three years, a discussion took place, in
(:c)n)clussing which Lord Eustace Cecil denied that breech-
efadsisn g weapons had been adopted by all the nations
bess‘ne world except England, and stated that the
ttijrl of both the War Office and the Navy were
is 3—alive to the necessity of watching the progress of
a".lTntions in gunnery, and when there was any occasion for
asilenge in the present system of ordnance the Govetnment
ind not scruple to come forward and ask the house to
any money that might be required for the protection
he country.
Th.
b Negroponte Correspondence" was next brough
- eft,
•
Pr i
os.„ re the House by Mr. Ashley, who moved a Resolution essto-
, g its regret for the part talson in the matter by Mr.
, el„Yaru- Disclaiming all party and personal motives, lie de-
, Dikr),eal his object to be to protest against the doctrine that a
oatti
r, ale servant was justified in using all the power of his
. Dub
La' The to crush any man who was an obstacle to his
7 ,c)• The substance of his accusation was that 3lr.
, Jnrd had done a gross act of injustice to Mr. Gladstone
„ssosannnunicating the contents of his letter to Mr. Negro-
, 4'unre.ta the Correspondent of the Daily rel.e.graph at Con-
fl'oPle, and thereby rendering hinkelf responsible for
ss_s elegram published in that paper charging Mr. Glad-
-1173 !se with inciting the Greeks to rise against the Porte, and
winilDnorted this charge by an elaborate review of papers.
aao„ regard to the last despatch just laid on the table of the
' aoa'e ae, in which Mr. Layard expressed Isis regret if he had
tte saa,nY Injustice to Mr. Gladstone, he asserted that it was
ot3-Irv." at all and only made matters worse.
Rourke pointed out that the motion involved a vote
to _censure on our Ambassador, which the House ought not
skairction, except after the deepest consideration. Mr.
atm e,Ya he maintained, had put an entirely erroneous con-
s he
I:sion on the papers, and Mr. Layard's defence was that
soot ,sacl nothing to do with the telegram which had been
elaisoued Y rhe Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. lie dia-
.: silo
s, tots all responsibility for the interpretation which
clarte"e,n put on the letter to Mr. Negroponte, and it was
baa, selear that M. Negroponte himself had given the Am-
; rear:',!Or a wrong account of that letter. The expression of
Ira _"n Mr. Layard's last despatch, in Mr. Bourse's opinion
411 M aMple amende.
r. •
corre-
Lam sO Reilly supported the motion and cansured Mr.
spooflin for his communication with the newspaper
, elasemeleit ; While Lord Eleho was of opinion that air Layard's
ktroo- cut the ground from under Mr. Ashley's feet, and
eoi„glY deprecated not only passing a vote of censure on
• has Arabasaador at this critical moment, but the habit which
th;.letrown up of making partisan attacks on the Government
Cr Ministers and Consuls
• loaladre•
rAnderson regarded Mr. Layard's apology as entirely
respoiar.e, and Mr. Marten showed from the dates that no
siss
wsibtlity could be attributed to him for the intespreta-
-
a_ asne
'''sa.o Inch had been put on Mr. Gladstone's letters.
on was s
.- Ms.ntoti upported by Mr. Hopwood and opposed
4sant, , eelhouse. Mr. Sullh de,' ,unced the

-
' ix Ivan warmly denon
Fa------- --- - • •
_, to ___.n. a or and Correspondent as engaged in a conspiracy
:, - „,„L'll Air. Gladstone; to which Dr. O'Leary
,replied in .
:ululated speech, denouncing Mr. Ohl dstone s unpatriotic
.. 29. duct and repudiatiug for the Irish Party all sympathy
... "itik Air. Sullivan's Whig tactics.
. Sir DE
tha „_ • James went at length into the papers, contending
telapador' if he bepeve'd Mr, Gruistone toilie en-
stirring up the Greeks to inidirdeion, ought to

have reported it to his Government. Mr. Layard might not
be answerable for the exact words of the telegram but he
was respomible for the fact that it was sent. Ile put the
correspondence into motion, and when he knew that the
charge had been made in this country he ought to have
come forward to declare that it was a misrepre,entation of
the letter to Mr. Negroponte. As to the apology it had
never been forwarded to Mr. Gladstone and it was quite in-
sufficient.

The Solicitor-General maintained that there was no evi-
dence whatever for the charge, and that Mr. Layard was not
responsible for the action of the Correspondent.
The Marquis of Hartington acquitted Nlr. Layard of any-
thing like a deliberate conspiracy to injure Mr. Gladstone,
but complained that he had not shown himself sufFicieutly
ready to correct the consequences of the indiscretion into
which he had been led. That he had something to do with
the Correspondent and the telegram he did not deny, and
when he found that so serious a charge had been made against
Mr. Gladstone he should have immediately contradicted it,
and he should have done all in his power to make reparation.
As the Government had not expressed the smallest dissatis-
faction with Mr. Layard, he felt bound to vote for the
motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer remarked on the diffi-
culty of ascertaining exactly what was the charges against
Mr. Layard, for though Lord Millington spoke only of in-
discretion, :kir. Ashley had charged him with a deliberate
attempt to ruin Mr. Gladstone. The consequence of en-
dorsing such a charge by a vote of the house of Commons
must ho most serious, and he contended that there was not
the smallest evidence in the papers to support it. Indiscre-
tion and imprudence they might show, but they fell far
short of the imputation conveyed in the motion, and did not
call for so serious a censure.