The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-06-07 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY. - Lord C. Paget stated,•in reply to Sir F.
I Smith, that the total damage done to the Research hy
the recent gunnery experiments did not exceed the
sum of £24 In ane•er to Mr. Hodgkimon, the
Attorney 'General explained the terms upon which the
steam rem, in the ldersey had been tramferred to Nor
Majesty's Government, end expressed the hope that it
would not he found necessary to propose any new legis.
latlon on the subject, adding that the Government
were as determined as ever to maintain the law as they
undemlool it should any future infrartions of it be
attemptel. Replying to inquiries of Mr. Hopwood
and Lord It Cecil, the Attorney.Gener.l also stated
that the Admiralty value was £196,000, and there was
to be paid for the couridetion of the came • further
sum 4 £25,000. The first price demanded was £300,000.
On the order for going into committee of supply, Mr.
WhltesiJe moved as a remlation that, in the opinion
the House, it was expedient that the existing duties on
spirits should be reduced. The right hon. gentleman
urged that the increase of duty imposed in 1860 had
resulted in a gradual and steady diminution of the
manufacture and conaeoption of spirits in SaAland
and Ireland, and an enormous growth of illicit trading.
The falling off in Iri-h di.tillrtion •ione wee upw orda of
five million gallon. within • year, and he thought that
fact was of itself sufficient to demonstrate the inipolicy
maintaining and perpetuatMg excessive duties. The
Chanoellor of the Exchequer opposed the motion, and
after • short diseumion It wae withdrawn. Mr. Roe-
buck having called attention to the sap 'Lion of
Mr. Home, the spiritaaliat, from Rome, with which
Mr. Layard said the Foglish Government oould not
interfere, the House went into committee of supply on
the aniacellaneous estimates.

Tritspar.—Mr. Layard stated, in answer to Mr.
Wertielin, that on Saturday last the Government
rem iced dispatches from the British Minister at Lima,
giving an account of the leisure of the Chineha Islands
by • Spanish naval squadron. It appeared that the
Spanish Minister had made • demand upon the
Peruvian Government, which was not complied with,
and thereupol, without further notice, the squadron
took possession of ti eine Wards. He understood, how-
ever, that the loading of guano for British subjects
would not be interrupted; but he had wit yet reoeive-I
any statement from the Spanish Government of the
reason. which had led to those proceerlinea Mr.
Cob Jen moved a declaratory resolution to the effect that
the policy a non-intervention by form of arms in the
internal political affairs of foreign countries, which we
profeased to obeivre in our relations with the states of
Europe and America, should be observed in our inter-
course with the empire of China. In reviewing the
state of our reletions with that country the hon.
member insisted that it was of the most unastrifactory
character, especially so far aa our commerce was man-
eerned. The honourab a member said that the wisest
course for the Howe to adopt was, at the COMUltriCe•
meat of the neat session, to appoint • select oonimittee
to inquire into our commercial relations with China and
Japan; and impressed upon the House and the com-
mercial community that it was ego/illy their duty and
their interest to show to thee* Pagan 'nations the
superior brightness of our Christianity and our civilina-
tion. Mr. layard combatted at great length the state-
Ittent4 and arguments of Mr. Cobden, and observed
that if Her Majesty's Government bad followed the
advice given them on various sides of the Rouse the
moot dieastrous results would h... ...cod, not only to
our commerce with Chins, but to the lives of • large
number of British subjects.—After • long diacmaion the
resolution waa withdrawn.

Nesrlv de whole of th• afternoon
dtting was taken up by a discussion on the Tests
Abolition (Oxford) MIL Mr. Dodson moved that the
House should go into comositte• on the bill, and Mr.
Trefusispropoesdas an amendment that it be committed
that day sin months. After an animated debate, on •
division the smendmext was negatived by ZIA to 226.
Tho House went into committee pro forma, sod the
Chairman reported program.

Teumatisr.- -Mr. Adderley moved a resolution to the
elf. et that the House, having considsresi the minute
of Council of the 11th of March, 1064. on endowei
*shoots, wen of opinion that it did not meet the objec-
tions made to the minute of the 19th of May, 1903.
The right bon. patltman observel that the
principle of them objections was that the latter
minute wculd have swept the endowment, of ail achads
Into the Treasury. and that this prsiposal being ocntrary
to the feeling of the Hons., the late vioe-preaident of
the Council of Education was obliged to change his
tirattica and best a retreat. A new minute was acoord-
ingly issued, and be trusted the Flown would condemn
that as unanimously as they had the other. That minute
offered to esempt frcm ganertil and inliaorintinate con•
essation the small rural schools of the country, defined
as schools of 1200. square feet; but • provisio was
lidded that even in the case of these small institutions,
though they were not to have their endowments wholly
opefigoated, they should be no let taken from them that
the Government grant and endowment together should
not exceed 15e • head for the pupils. He submitted
that Ilia proposition went to stultify the former deo'.
'ion the House, tutd set at naught its authority. Mr.
H. Bruce defended the minute of May, and urged that
ea the contribution of the state was to supply a need
where it existed, the great ought not to be made where
snob need did not exist. He did not deny that there
might be abuses under the present system, and that
some school, received money that were not entitled to
and that was • matter to which the Committee of
C,onoeil were directing their attention. It was of great
importanos that the public money should not be aqnso•
dered, and he believed that on the whole the new
minute so for from blunting the edge of voluntary
effort would rather sharpen it. 17pon • diviaion the
motion was negatived bv 119 to 111. The debate on the
nomination of • eel.-ct Committee on the reports of the
inspectors of education, adjourned from Tuesday night,
was then resumed, and conduct.] with some animation ;
the point at issue being whether the C,ommittee should
consist of MP en members, which was the original
proposition of the Government, or of live members to
be nominated by tie General Committee of Seleotion,
ea proposed by Mr. Clay, and in favour of which
Minietcrs had abandoned thcir own proposal. tilts.
mutely the amend toent of Mr. Clay wasaireed to without
a division. The orders of the day were then proceeded
with.

Fatine.—At the time of private business, the stand-
ing order 142 (railway companies not to acquire docks
he-, unless committee report, ke.) having 'been read
Lord Stanley moved that so snook of the order as re
land to the owning or using by railway companies of
ste•m vessels, harbours, and docks, be repealed. The
object of the motion was Ato leave select committees of
the Roues on railway bills at full liberty to decide,
without restriction, when railway companies mked for
steam-boat powers, whether a case had been made out
for granting such powers At present it wee argued the
standing orders gave directions to committee. which
they did not follow. The propoesh which rewind the
support of the President of the Board of Trade,
led to considerable discussion, but was negatived
without being pressed to • division. Mr. Liyard,
replying to • question of Mr. R. Seymour, staled
that information had reached the Foreign Ofilea
to the effect thin the King of Abyssinia had placed Her
Refiners consul and some English missionaries
established in the country in confinement. It was •
difficult thing to get at this potentate, for the Govern-
ment were afraid to mid an agent lest he should alien
the same fate as the consul and missionaries, but they
would do all in their power to cousmusicate with the
King, and at this moment the matter was receiving the
!serious cemaideration of the Foreign Office. Oa the
order for going into oommittae of supply, Sir Jobs Hay
, moved • resolution to the elicit that it was desirable
that the Admiralty should adopt the recommendation
of the Royal commis•ion of 1450 confirmed by
the report of Sir Richard Bromley, one of
I the present oonuniseiooen, and by the letter
of Admiral Sir James Gordon, the governor
of Greenwich Hospital, that the present 'piens of
double government be 'hull-had, as • remedy for the
abuses which bad arisen under that system. Mr
Childers, whilst cautioning the House not to act with
precipitation, admitted a stringent measure of reform
we, necessary. as the expense of management was far
, too high, but every attention was paid to the mimfort
'of the pensioners. It was now intended by the Govi-ns.
mint to propose to limit admiseions to the hospital to
those who were incapable, in consequence of age or
infirmity of maintaining themselves outside its walls.
Thus the inatitotion would be an infirmary for the
sick and a receptacle for those whose out-pensions
were insufficient for their subsistence. It au also
Proposed to add to the out-pensions of men who bad
reached a °retain age ; toaboliah the doable gm eminent,
and appoint • chief officer to preside over the affairs of
the hospital, and to do away with the residential civil
and military appointments of the institution at the egad
of fieo years, but not to do so without giving fair nom,
penaation. The hoe. gentleman also shadowed out the
probable effect of then changes in a finaneial point of
view, and intiinated that the plan would be matured in
th• recess, and a measure brought before the Hove.
early in the next session of Parliament. Sir J. Hay
impressed bus satisfaction at the statement made by Mr.
Childers, and withdrew his motion. Mter the other
motions on the paper had been discussed, the Rouse
west into Committee of supply pro forges.