The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-08-06 00:00:00

~.PERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Lords. Augu.t 1, the Royal ascent was
given by commission to the BM Land Bill, the Consolidated
Pond (X 9,000,000 Bill, the Customs and bland Revenue
Bill, the Eschew', Bonds At 300,000) Bid. the Sugar Duties
(Isle of Mau) Bitt, the stamp Duties en Lea) es B)I1, the Divi-
dends on fits Its Bill, the Silinon acts Aolendmeut BM, the
Chaaltable Funds Investment Bill, the Rents and Periodical
Payineus 11111. the Ecolosias) (cal Patronage Transfer Bill,
the Nlagistrates in Populous Places iS )otlabil) Bill, the Sligo
and ('a-hel Di,franclisernent CPI, the Cattle Disewes )11 e-
land tilt, the N. w Z 11i1\1111 Guarantee of Loan Bill, the
Petty Customs ;.icotland) Abolition Bill, and the Public
Health (4cotland) supplenimial Bill.
The ctmo,isni,se,a n, rs the I, )rd Chancellor, the Marquis
o/ Norman) y. end the E tel I Cork.
Earl Russell brought forward a -bill for giving the Crown
powers to embody nod call out the militia
The Lord hancellor said the MB had been Introduc,d
aithout any notice baring heen given to those who repre-
motet! the Government In this House.
The bill was read a first Hine.
In the House of Oiturnons, IL accordance with a summons
colireYed by t))e Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, the
3neaker and nirtnl'ers tithe House attended at the bar of the
House of Ness for the purpose of witnessing the Roial
sisent being given hy counnilssion to hills agteed upon by
both Houses of Parliament.
. .

_ .
lii"..-Ctrdweli brought up a further estimate, providing
For NS 1.,00 or of the luiti forces of this country to the ex-
tent 0( 20 00.0 men.

_
- M. Stanfield brought up an estimate for a sum teyond the
xrdlnar) grant, tow trds de,raying the expenses which may
le Mem red it, neettitateleg the milt .ry snit naval forces of
his kingdom during the war in Europe for £4000,000 (loud
,heere).

The eatimates were laid upon the table.
Mr Peewee asked the Secretary for War, whether, In the
present warlike aspect of continental attest., taking into
account the loge armies brow.ht into the told. and the
au-den manner which war hes been proclaimed, it would
tot be advisable to bee thee in augmenting the defensive
I, roes of the countryiby at once it creasing the militia, and
adding to the effective strength of the Royal Artillery ; and,
whether efficient ar• augments exist for enabling the regular
forces, Mlti a, and Wield... to take the he'd thoroughly
equipped in pie int of arms, camp equipage, and commissariat;
also, whether the order for the 44th Regiment to proceed to
the Cape oi Go 4 fl ope would be countermanded
Mr. Cardwell said It was the Intention of her Majestyie
Gevermient, as had been shown by the supplement soy esti-
mate which he had pbeed on the table, to segment the
efensive forces of the country. In so itiing, tio mintit the
state of the Militia and Royal Artillery wool I be considered.
The midi that alre oly he en recruited to Ito full strength
except a few regiment.. Ile was not prepared to admit any-
thing which would be assumed to show that the Royal Al W-
hey and NlVitia were not in an ellielmit state. It was not
the intent WTI of the (4 merriment to send out the 44th Regi-
ment to the Cape.
Mr. Stapleton a•ked the First Lord of the Treasury,
whether his attention had been c tiled to the report that the
French fleet in the Baltic was to be supplied "hilt coal direct
from this country; whether it would le canine eat with
neutrality to allow any vessels, either French, English, or
others, to carry coal direct from this country to a belligerent
nett at era; and whether E Wish vessels so engaged would
be entitled to the protection of their country if the other
belligerent should treat them us enemies, consideeleg them
part of the armament to which they were acting as Lindens?
Mr Gladstone said that the House had already been
advised that there was no intention in a general way to
present the export of coal from this country, but if either of
the belligerent* captured it the 4ptemiau of whether it
was contrebetel of war would be tri-d by the c met of the
captor. With regard to the case suggested he had submitted
it to the law I •Itieers of the Crown, mud they were of opinion
that if colliett were chartered for the purriese it attending
the fleet of a bellieterenti, and supply that tket with coal for
the purpose of enabling it to carry on its hostile eperations,
such cola,es wool I become store ships, and would Pe liable
to the operatian of the English law. If such a report as
that mentioned should arise, it would bribe absolute duty
of the Government to lestitute immolate and searching is.
qutry.
The Army Enlistment Bill passed -
On the Report of the 1.--
verbal and

. -
The Army Enlistment BM passed through Committee.
On the ho port of the Elementary Education Bill, several
timbal and other amendments were made.
The Extradition Bill was read a second time.
Ater some other business had been disposed of, their lord-
ships adjourned.
Mr. Disraeli rose, recording to notice, to call attention to
the position of this country with reference to the Encopeau
war, and, first, by way of jostitication for his interposition,
he said that, having witnessed the outbreak of several great
wars during his Parliamentary career, he had noticed that
much injury hail been done by the reserve and silence
observed ny the Donee of Commons on such occasions, which,
Instead of assisting and strengthening the hands of the
Government, had embarrassed it. After collie remarks on
the treaties guaranteeing Belgium and Luxemburg—of
the former of which he said it was negotiated by dis-
tinguished Liberals, and was in accordance with the tradi-
tional policy of England—Mr. Disraeli reminded the House
that at the Treaty of Vienna we had guaranteed to
Prussiaher Saxon provinces. That engagement, he contended,
ou,.ht to have given us an overpowering ibtluence with Prus-
sia; hut Russia hail undertaken a similar guarantee—and
Ross., to, was as mak., to he neural as we—and in
this coincidence he niscerned a menus by which, from the
joint action of therm two Powers, peace might be restored.
The policy of England !should be an armed neutrality, and at
the proper time she might step in, and, In cobjunction with
Russia, exercise the most considerable effect on the course
of public all airs. This led him to consider whether our
armaments were in such a position as to enable us to take
that Hoe, ant to require from the Government more
complete inf,emation as to the strength of our fl:et and of
our army. the condition of our stores, the progress made in
the fortifications, insisting that at a crisis line the present
no effort should be spared to put the country in a position
of complete security. If the Government spoke to f deign
rowers with that firmness which could only arise from a
due appreciation of their duty and a determination to ter-
form is, Ste Disraeli pr,dicted th it England would not be
involved in the war, and her influence, combined with that
if Ruche, might lead to the speedy restoration of peace.
But, above all, England ought to declare ins manner not to
be mistaken that ethe would rualutain her treaty engage.
menta, and therety secure the lights of independent 08-
tions. . .

Mr. Gladstone commenced with a confession that the
particular Incident not of which the war had arisen had
taken him by surprise, though, of course, be was perfectly
aware of the state of feeling of which that incident was a
,ympkun. Ile sent sketched raid.% th, steps taken by the
Government to pr.serve pt ace. During the negotiations our
position had been Cort of a modiator—our attitude now we.t
nem rality ; but not an "armed ueuirality "—a phew., which
he strongly deprecated as having an historical shoiticauce
totally opposed to the friendly disposition staid. on ought to
preserve towards both bet igerttts. Bit he agreed that our
neutrally ought to be accompanied with adequate ruevures
of defence; that it uncut UP be what he called a secure
neutrality." As to the suggestion of joint action with Russia,
he merely said that he rote no objection to joiniug not only with
one, hut all the neutral Powers for the restoration of peace :
but lie dill, red entirely from Mr. Ditraelfs idea of the claim
which the Aaxon guarantee gave its. The dissolution of the
German Coofederatudi and the recent aggrandis,ment of
Prussia had destroyed its binding force, awl we could not
have advanced it without involving ourselves In the responsi-
bilities of war. Desci ibing next the attitude of the Go-
verument with regard to the future, he salti that
the " Pr.jected Treaty" was considered by the Govern-
ment to be a melt Important document, giving a
serious shock to public confidence, and we ought to feel
indebted to those who brought tile light. Toe tioverument
had taken the while circumstances attending it into their
consideration, and the propositions they meant to make to
the Rouse In their opinion met the necessity of the case and
were calculated to estahlish perfect confidence and security.
Ilaviog explatned the Vdllol4ll steps the Government had
fatten to maintain neutrality, he warmly defended it against
Mr Di rash's charge of undue reduction of the serves;
and he assured the Rouse that tin y ware deePlY .1
the discredit of weakeuiug the power ot this country, and
that, having made the most careful inquiries, they would
• take up and insintain that dignified p sition which would
enable us at the proper time to inter:ate for the restoration
of peace.
After expressions of opinion from several other hOn, mem-
bers the suhject dropped
The Foreign Etliatment Rill and the Meeting ot Parliament
I Bill were read a !peened time. .

The Post Office Bills was considered in committee, and
several other lills, of which there were 45 on the paper,
havi4g been forwarded a surge, the House adjsurned.
In the HOUSO of Lords, August 2, the report of amendments
on the Juries' Bill was received.
The Goo Lief ore. Bit, the Notional Debt Bill, the Forgery
Bill, the Statute Law Revision 8111, and the Pedlars' Certlll-
- Bill were read a re 3ond lime.

Lord Rsseli. in moving the second reeding of his Militia
Acts Ameedmebt Bill, said it was desirable before the pro-
regetion Warns the Government with full powers to meet any
emergency. Then, paising to the present state .if our foreign
aft airs, which he raid was each as to make us more than
usually anxious, he said that, in addition to the delicate
and d Moult duties of neutrality, we were bound by certain
treaty engagemente, which he recapitulated, in respect to
Belgian. The treaty by which the independence arid nen•
trality of Belgium were secured was, he argued, 'finding sepa-
rately as well as conjointly upon tile Five Great Powers.
Relearn g to the proj-t an traitg and the explailatiens
to which it had given rise between France and Prussia, he
said it world he impossible to feel in future perfect confi-
dence Ia either of the partial, and unwise to Ignore the dan-
ger that the treaties in regard to Belgium might he violated.
He referred to the proclamation and convereatlims of the
Emperor of the French in proof of the danger to whieh Bel-
ginin was exposed troes the popular feeling in France, and
maintained that the oily course for Eiigland to take under
such circumstances was the course and pith of honour. We
were boned to defend Belgium, and if we manfully oeclared
that we would stand by our treaty obligations a check
would lie given to these intrigues. Neither France nor
PrUstis would in that case be tempted to violate the in-
dependence of that country, line wish to have another
enemy in addition to the formidable foe which each had in
the other. If the Government appealed to the strong sense
of honour in the breasts of the English people, they would
be supported by the great majority of the nation. ()noting
the saying of the First Naleili rol, that Antwerp in the hands
of France would be a pistol held at the heat of England, he
pointed out that an invading force rit that port would be
really formidable to England, and again call, d upon Her
Msjestv'e Government to declare that they meant to be faith-
ful to their engegement.
Lord Granville said that It was the intention of the
Government to deet with the subject of the Militia, and he
trusted Lord Russell wont I leave the matter ni their bands.
The Goverumrnt were not unaware of the duties which
Eliglanit owed to the Independence and neutrality of Bid-
gium, bet he adhered to the conviction which ens former
occasion he had exproned, with their lordships' concurrence,
that it was not his tint, Sr make declerations as to the course
the Government would take in any possible contingency.
When the Government had mailea clear intimation of their
Intentions in any respect he trusted their lordships would
believe that nothing would induce them to withdraw from it.
After a few words from Lord Stratford,
Lord Russell said he thought that the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, having admitted the general obligation of the treaty
with Belgium, had said all that c add have been expected
from him. Ile had no objection to leave the subject of the
Militie iu the hands of the Government. The hill use there-
fore withdrawn.
The Elementary Education Bill was read a third time, and,
after a few verbal amendments, was passed.
The Lord Chancellor's Extradition Bill passed through
Committee.
On the schedule of the Census Bill, Lord If arrowhy's
amendment in favour of a religious comma was carried 0 a
division by 43 votes against 39. The schedule, as amended,
was then agreed to, aud their lordships adjourned.
In the House of Commons, the New and Greeriock Rail
way Bill was read a third time arid paved,
Mr. Stapleton intimated that on Tuesday next he would
move that, Conaidernig the fasten • eil increrne bi the number
of her Majesty's truces and the expediency of keeping those
fame in the highest state of efficiency, her Majesty's Go-
vernment ought It to ho fettered in any w.iy tel putting in
force the Acts relating to the condition of the standing
forces.
ale Gladstone, answering a question from Mr. Harcourt,
again dl c'ined to publish thee. litnittniCationa between France
arid Primate width missed through Lord Chereedon, as an
agent, not as aprii cipal, in reference to a mutu it diaanna-
nient. They were private papers, and in the possession, not
of the Foreign Office, hut of Lard Claremlon's representatives.
At the same tune the Government had no objection to
the publication of them if either of the two Governments
chose to take that step. He exclaimed, too, that Go-
vernment hail not adopted Baron Brunnow's suggestion,
which was personal, not official, that the great Powers ahould
join in a Protocel declaring Prince Leopold's withdrawal to
lie a satisfactory settlement, because it would have taken too
ranch time at a critical moinent. To a further inquiry whether
any attempt at a cembined remonstrance had been made, he
replied in the negative. Our wisest attitude was to watch
the course of events.
Sir IL L. Buiwer celled attention to the Greek Massacre,
and asked the Government what satisfaction it had obtaired
or means to obtain from the Greek Government, which was
nulled to by Mr Gledstone. and which reply was supple-
mented cry reniarka trim several other hoe members.
The rest of the sitting was occupied by a renewal of the
controversy ante the c indition of our armaments. On going
into Committee of Simpty, a vote of 20,000 additional land
forces was moved, and Br W. Lawson stated at i•riee that,
bellevirie this to be the nest step In a dangerous policy, he
should divide against it.
After the criticisms of several hon. members, and expla-