The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-30 00:00:00

11VIPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the HMIS Or LORDS, July 25, Lord Northbrook laid
on the table, and their Lordships read a first time, a Bill to
amend the Patriotic Fund Act, 1867, and to make further
provision respecting certain funds administered by the
Eame Commissioners as the Patriotic Fund.

The Reformatory Institutions (Ireland) Bill was also read
at second time, and thcir lordships adjourned at twenty
Minutes past five o'clock.
_ In the HoUsE OF COMMONS, the Home Secretary confirmed
the report of a seizure of infernal machines at Liverpool, and
Vave full details of the discovery.

The orders of the day having been postponed, Sir M-
Hicks-1-teach brought forward his Vote of censure on the
Transvaal policy of the Government. He moved—" That, in
the opinion of this House, the coarse pursued by Her
Majesty's Government with respect to the rising in the
Transvaal, so far as it has yet been explained to Par-
liament, has resulted in the loss of valuable lives
without vindicating the authority of the Crown, is
fraught with danger to the future tranquillity and
safety of her Majesty's dominions in South Africa, and
fails to provide for the fulfilment of the obligations con-
tracted by this country towards the European settlers and
hative population of the Transvaal." In support of these
propmitiotie, Sir M. Hicks-Beach spoke for an hour and a
half, remarking towards his conclusion that the retrospect
was painful, but the outlook was still more gloomy not only
for the Transvaal, but for the whole of our South African
Possessions.

Baron de Worms, in seconding the motion; traced the
rising to the Mid-Lothian speeches, and ass...fted that the
Government never perceived the fault of the annexation
Until the British troops were defeated.
Mr. Itathbone move 4 as an amendment a resolution ap-
proving the conclusion of the war, and expressing confidence
that care would be taken to guard the interests of the native
and white population. He contended that the decision of
the Government in putting An end to the war when they
found they had made a mistake was one of the most cour-
ageous and righteous acts of modern times, and in answer to
'ta.t he held to be the ridiculous taunt that the Government
Were frightened by the reverses, he maintained that they
had offered to negotiate through President Brand before the
the reverses occurred. To have insisted on a policy of stamp-
ing out resistance, besides leading to bloodshed, would have
Involved us in future difficulties. Passing to general con-
siderations, he urged on the House that the question really
to be decided on this occasion was whether we would strive
to extend our Imperial responsibilities, or would content
ourselves with worthily discharging those we had already
acquired.

Me. 11 Fowler, in seconding the amendment, argued that
the terms of peace afterwards accepted had been sent in
black and white to the Boer leaders before the defeat at
Majuba.
Sir H. ilolland,ln supporting the motion, said he did not
regret the loss of the Transvaal, but the loss of character
Bngland had suffered in the Transvaal.
Mr. Chamberlain admitted that the question was en-
"ironed by difficulties, and that the course taken by the
government might be foil,w,d by further complications,
but he maintained that the only alternative suggested by
the opposition was a p,rsl._f -,. .1 sin the policy of an-
nexation. That policy, he contended, was contrary to
otir treaty engagements, and the moment the • Govern-
01ent was convinced that it had not the assent of
the people of the country, it became their duty to
reverse it. Explaining the reasons why they had not taken.
this course before, he said that all the information they re-
solved from Sir G. Wolseley, Sir B. Frere, and others up to
the very eve of the rising induced them to believe that the
Boers were content. When the war broke out he showed
that the terms offered to the Boers before the disasters were
itubstantiallv the same as those subsequently accepted by
them, and there was no national importance in those military
defeats to lead the Government to withdraw those terms.
great nation like ours could afford to be generous,
and peace had given us all that we could have justly de-
blanded from victory. As to the Convention, when it was
Made public, he believed it would be satisfactory to the
„country, and would show that the Government had cared for
40e natives, for the loyalists, and for the interests of all.
The Government had kept the control of foreign relations in
their hands, they had provided for arbitration of disputes,
.and they taken every security in their power for the future
tr
anquility of South Africa.
Mr. Gorst pointed out that the question at issue was not
the abandonment of the Transvaal, but the manner in
;which it was done. If it were "sheer bloodguiltiness,
40 use Mr. Gladstone's words, to continue the contest
after our defeats, why was it not bloodguiltiness to
engage in the contests? So far from the Govern-
ent having commenced negociations, the • moment
neY knew the Boers were opposed to annexation, as
....was mentioned on the other side, Mr. Gladstone, in his
M speeches, declared that they were coerced. He
asked him, therefore, why the war had ever been begun, and
,WhY he had allowed the effusion of blood to go on until
."Larch last. He asked also why the Government had taken
1,0 effective means to check the Boers, and why they had
abandoned the natives, who were in a much less defensive
Doaition since the British intervention had destroyed the
Dower of Secocoeni and Cetewayo.
Mr. A. Sullivan and Sir W. Barttelot having spoken, Mr.
Illadstone, who rose shortly before midnight, denied that
hose remarks were intended to reflect on the courage of
o British soldier and, replying to a speech of Sir M. Hicks-
..zeach at Cheltenham, showed by a comparison of the dates
%hat overtures for peace had commenced before these clis-
-44,_ iers occurred. The annexation was a legacy from the
"4.te Government, and, though he held it to be a violation
ni our former treaties with the Boers, as long
U. the Government were led by all their agents to
oslieve that the Boers acquiesced in it, they would
p.ot have been justified in disturbing it. But when
the rising occurred there were two duties pressing on
e Govemment—to accumulate an overwhelming British
lorce in the colony, and also to seize the first
ID,e,fling for making peace. To have withdrawn the terms
of :Pell were offered before the disasters on a point
military honour, and to insist on a certain
:',oraber of victims being slaughtered to expiate
411 r defeats would have been wicked, cruel, and
mean. He contended, therefore, that the Govern-
had done everything that could have been done to
Vindicate the authority of the Queen, except by shedding
more blood. Finally, he justified in detail the settle-
tllent effected with the Boers, especially dwelling on
0 protection secured to the native races, which, he said,
Zaa more efficient than if we had set up Parliamentary govern-
"lent in the Transvaal. This, he maintained, was far wiser
rid more honourable than to carry on a contest which would
become a war with the whole Dutch population of South
,!?a, and at the end of which we should have done exactly
nu'u Was being done now.
IN Sir S. Norehcote maintained that the course taken by the
..:vernment would irretrievably weaken our influence in
Soul
tflt Africa. The Opposition, he said, challenged not a
Part Africa.
part, but the whole conduet of the Ministry; but
for 3:ccmPlained especially that,after vapouring and hectoring
certain time,the Government had suddenly changed their
t,!,e. As to the allegation that negotiations had begun before
ki
„Za°
ni i ghting,if it were so the Government deserved censure for
lleagin
g their matters so badly that 733 officers and men were
and wounded. If the Government meant to make
a_ce. why were not the attacks of the troops stopped?
t,'_!e telegrams, however, showed that the negotia-
hTn, had been carried on with divided minds. He
rPed the settlement the Government were endeavouring
_0 Make would be successful, but what had been done greatly
4^,eakened the chances; and whatever might be the result of
re division, he trusted it would not go forth to the country
rat the Government were unprepared to stand by their duty
South Africa, and that their policy in this matter was the
be Africa,
of our abandonment of our colonial empire.
After some remarks from Mr. O'Donnell, who refused to
hd°„l,"n, in whitewashing the Government for abandoning e
—cY which they had formerly supported, the Hous
givided, and Sir M. Hicks-Beach's resolution was negatived
7 314 to 205.

Mr. Rathbone's amendment was then agreed to, and after
Some other business had been disposed of, the House ad-
4ottrned at half-past two o'clock.

In the Houss OF LORDS, July 28, Earl Delawarr gave
notice of a motion that any change in the status quo of the
Political relations with the States of North Africa would
Drejudicial to the interests of this country in the Medi-
wrranean.
, Lord Norton, in moving the second reading of the Indus-
Schools Bill, explained that one of its leading objects
• to cons3lidate statutes relating to industrial schools
extended over thirty years. The Bill further pro-
d for changing the name of reformatories for children to
dustrial schools," and for placing all those schools under
'die Education Department.
th Dalhousie said the Government were anxious that
shel clnestion of the reformatories and industrial schools
iu ulu receive every attention; but they felt that it was one
dicfesPect of which caution was necessary. If the noble lord
Uot intend proceeding further with the Bill than the
t-V▪
OMI reading, they would not oppose the motion, though
`re were provisions in it of which they could not approve,
thLoe rd Houghton regretted that the Government acceded to
tee
jtsecond reading of the Bill, because their doing so might
cre,t°„ imPIY a censure on institutions which had been
01,LY successful.
The motion was then agreed to.
tri
,l4trd, litMberley, in moving the second reading of the
te :en Honduras (Collet of Appeal) Bill, said its object was
Jatag'aivecan.n appeal from the Courts in Honduras to a Court in
The Bill was read a second time.
lord
number of Bills having been a vanced a stage, their
ships adjourned at ten minutes to six o'clock.
v._11:1 the Horn or CommoNs, at the Morning Sitting, Sir
fTv Harcourt, replying to Mr. Warton, said he had be en in-
-1111,1" by the police that there had been no announcement
° PrePosed meeting in Trafalgar-square on Tuesday next
called by Mr. Bradlaugh to consider a petition to the House,
tnd all he could say was that in case of any public meeting
ein g held proper measures would be taken to secure the
abservance of order and of the law.
In answer to Mr. Stanhope, Sir C. Dilke said reports re-
ceived by the Government were to the effect that there was
SO troth in the rumour that Russia had annexed the district
Or Xuchan, in Persia. There was no prospect of a delimita-
tion of the new frontier between Russia and Turkey being
Lute for several months to come.
,The House was occupied all day on the "Re ort" of the
„urld Bill. At the outset new clauses were introduced by
,`,lle Attorney-General, providing, among other things, that
",e Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners shall not be
several to sit in Parliament during their tenure of office.
everal clauses moved by private members were either ruled
of order or negatived, and the rest of the Morning
ing was spent in making amendments to the clauses,
Ai'len were mostly of a verbal and unimportant character.
seven o'clock the House was engaged on Clause 4.
butthe Evening Sitting, the House proceeded with the Bill,
t
Attu 0 Point of controversy arose until Clause 6, when the
Nth rneY•General moved an amendment securing to tenants
erect fiax-scutching mills their value as improvements.
`nls was resisted, and carried on a division by 182 to 99.
it. 0,11. Clause 7, empowering the Court to fix fair rents, Lord
Of 4,ltrrnaurice moved an amendment confining the benefit
till's" clause to tenancies valued under £.lOO. In support of
teu Proposal, which, he said, would only exclude 13,000
- ti B.nts. be Urged the expediency of not making this excep-
,,_°enal legislatioe broader than was necessary, and quoted
authority of Lord Carlingford and Mr. Baron Dowse for
to. Proposition that these large tenants were quite able to
.e care of themselves.
et,,Tl2e amendment was energetically opposed by Mr. Glad-
ber, who pointed out that no such recommendation had
thenGniade by either of the Commissions, and declared that
Nthi overnment would be no parties to drawing a distinction
tv,„e.,11 Wa3 directly opposed to the lines on which the Bill
urawn.
air3lefj, Brand replied to this that such a distinction was
ei5O.lY drawn in the 16th clause, which allowed tenants of
t° contract themselves °lit of the Bill altogether.
W; L„1
OICt 91.2 Mr. Arnold, Mr. Collings, and Lord E. Cavendish
...,.against the amendment, which was supported by Mr.
Snaith and Mr. W. Cartwright.
ISifitijt division the amendment was negatived by 241 to 205,
cheers:, narrowness of the majority was greeted with loud
801
the 4 e other amendments were disposed of, and ultimately
uebate was adjourned.
The
o'cleek. onse adjourned at twenty-five minutes past one

ELECTRICAL EXHIBITION- IN
PARIS.
tc
..Prena
b —radons for the International Electrical Exhig. 1-
of the
be opened in the Palais de l'lndustrie on
were commenced immediately after the close
Salon, and are now being actively carried on.
4111ndreds of workmen are engaged in erecting the
neceisary stands, and already an enormous lighthouse
rears its O which fad from the middle of an artificial basin,
n oat a number of miniature craft, propelled
bY electricity. The French railway companies will
make an inaposing show of telegraphic apparatus.
Half the building will be occupied bY foreign exhibi-
tors. The most interesting feature of the undertaking
will doubtless be night, when ev the illumination of the palace by
to con- p+ erY known system of electric lighting is
ele r; •.p for supremacy. A tramway, worked by
cI•• •
. •
f 0, he entrant of the Place de la Concorde to
'), the Palais de l'lndustrie.