The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-03-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the HoUsE oF LORDS, March 8, Lord Stratheden and
Campbell, on the appeal of Lord Beaconsfield, postponed
his motion in reference to the Eastern Qaestion.
DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT,
Lord Beaconsfield, amid breathless attention' rose and
said he had to am. ounce to their lordships that as soon as
the leader of Her majesty's Government in the other House
Should have made his financial statement for the year, which
Sir Stafford Northcote hoped to make almost immediately,
and completed those other arrangements befitting the occa-
sion, Her Majesty, with the advice of her Ministers, would
dimly° the present Parliament.
The Relief of Distress (Ireland) Bill was read a third time
and passed, and several measures, among which were the
Remuneration of Solicitors Bill and the Limitation of
Actions Bid, were also read a second time.
After some formal business, the House adjourned at
twenty-five minutes to six o'clock; but their lordships on
both sides then gathered in small groups, and for some
minutes there was a buzz of conversation over the whole
building. Within the space at the foot of the throne Mr.
Cross and a number of other right hon. gentlemen
had assembled at the moment when the Prime
Minister rose to announce the approaching dial°
Ution. The statement made by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer on the same subject a few minutes before
had prepared many distinguished strangers for what to most
o their lordships seemed to be a surprise, and there was a
rush from the House of Commons to the Lords just as Lord
Beaconsffeld stepped forward to the table. Toe Prince of
Wales and the Duke of Cambridge were in their places at
the meeting of the House. Lord Granville and several
numbers of the late Government were on the front Oppoet-
Lion bench.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, before the Orders of the Day
were called on, the Chancellor of the Exchequer rose and
Made the following statement with regard to the Dlesolu-
Lion : As Easter is approaching, it may be convenient that
some statement should be made with reference to the busi-
ness of the House, and also with reference to a larger
question behind it, which concerns not only the House,
but the country at large. I apprehend that if hon.
gentlemen were to go down into the country at
Beater in ignorance of the views of her Majesty's Go-
vernment with regard to the dissolution of Parliament they
would pass a somewhat agitated holiday, and what is more
important, a certain amount of uncertainty and anxiety
would prevail in the country which might prove injurious to
trade and inconvenient in public affairs generally. Therefore
I am desirous, on the part of the Government to
state what the views of the Government are with re-
gard to the dissolution of Parliament. First, however, I wish
to point out that it has not been in our power to come to a
decision upon this subject earlier than the present time
In the course of last autumn the state of Ireland caused
no inconsiderable amount of anxiety. We perceived at an
early period the probability as time went on of our being
called upon to take measures on our responsibility as a
Government to prevent or to alleviate distress in that
country. These measures we took without the authority
or sanction of Parliament, and it was necessary that Par-
liament should be called together in order to consider and
give its sanction to what we had done, and also to delibe-
rate upon the farther measures which might require to be
taken. That has been the business with which Parliament
has been occupied since its assembling in February. The
meaning which we proposed have been in the main
adopted. They have almost reached their last stage in
passing through Parliament, and we may, therefore, consider
that that difficulty and embarrassment in our way is at an
end. The question now arises, what is the most convenient
time for Parliament to be dissolved. There are obviously
three periods in every Slsslon at which a dissolution may be
made—from the opening of the Session till Easter, f corn
Butes- till Whitsuntide, and from Whitsuntide till the
close of the Session at the end of July or the beginning of
August Well, it is unnecessary that I should delay the
Home by pointing out how very much more convenient a
spring dissolution is than an autumn one, especially if the
autumn dissolution in any way interferes with harvest
Operations. There is, however, a great deal of business
which it is absolutely necessary to get through within the
Ant two or three months of the Session of Parliament, and
before the close of the financial year. With that business
we have made considerable progress, and there will be no
difficulty, I think, in completing it before the Duster
holidays. Besides that business there is, of course, a mass
of questions which it is desirable Parliament should deal
With, which we could not expect to finish by Whitsun-
tide, and which, on the other hand, if we were to dissolve
at Whitsuntide there would not be time to take up after
Parliament had reassembled. In these circumstances, and
after very full consideration of the question in aline aspects,
we have come to the conclusion that the most convenient
course open to us is to advise Her Majesty to dissolve Par-
liament at Easter. (Hear, bear) The effect of that will
be that Parliament will be in working order again in the
course of the first weekln May. so that there will be three
months available before the usual period of prorogation
for Parliament to consider what manures it may be de-
sired to pass. But, as I have said, there were certain
things which meanwhile must be got through If we are
able to-night to pass the Ant vote in the Navy Estimates,
we shall be able to-morrow to bring in a Continuance
(Mutiny) Bill, and there will be time to get that through
before the House may have to rise. We also hears to obtain
a vote on Recount for the Civil Service, and alter that we
shall be able to take measures for putting the exchequer in
funds to carry us over the period of the dissolution. The
Usual steps will also be taken for meeting the Exchequer
bonds and other liabilities falling due in March There is
another matter which I must mention. Usually it is most
convenient to bring in the Budget after the close of the
financial year, but Easter falls very early this year, and it is,
of course, important before we think of disolving Piffle-
ment that the financial proposals of the Government
should be before the Hence and the country. (Hear, hear.)
We, therefore, propose to introduce the Budget in the
Usual way on Thursday next. There will, of course, be
several stages in our financial measures, and on one of
these an opportunity will be offered to the hon. member
for Hackney in redemption of the pledge which we gave
at the beginning of the Session for a discussion on Indian
affairs. I believe there Is little doubt that there will be
Plenty of time to get through that amount of business before
Easter. 1 need not now refer particularly to those measures
Which are of so large a character that they mast be laid
slide for the present, though we hope they may be taken up
he another Perdamtnt ; but there are two measures upon
which I ought to say a • few words. One measure relates to
the question of the disposal of the vacant seats. It is now
Perfectly obvious that it would be impossible to pass that
Bill, and that therefore, it would only be a waste of time
to introduce it. (Hear, hear) With regard, however, to
another Bill—the Parliamentary Elections do not
think it would he at all impossible for the House to deal
with that Bill, and also with the particular question to
which the hon. baronet the member for Chelsea called at.
tention the other night; I mean the question of the con-
veyance of voters in boroughs. That is a question which
we feel ought not to be left in the uncertain state in
*Moll it is at present. My. hon. and leasned friend
the Attorney General will, in the course of this evening,
move to discharge the order for the second reading
of that Bill, which has been Axed for a day too late to en-
able us to proceed with it, and he will move for leave to
bring in another Bill to-morrow, and to put it on the paper
so that it can be discussed in the course of this week.
(Cheers from the Opposition aide.) I have stated to the
Mouse at the earliest possible moment what the views of
Her Majesty's Government are, and I hope we shall obtain
that assistance without which it will be imposssible to carry
through Jur business. Ido not wish to make any unreason-
able requests, but I hope we shall be 'allowed to take a con-
siderable share of the time that remains for Government
business. (Hear, hear.) Tomorrow I will submit a motion
on the subjeot, but I do not at the present moment do more
than indicate that intention. lam much obliged to the
House for the way in which it has listened to my statement.
(Cheers.

Mr. W. E. Forster, who remarked that the statement just
niade would be received with great satisfaction en his side
of the House, and expressed a general desire to ce•operate
with the Government in facilitating the progress of business,
asked for how long the vote on account would be taken to
which the Chancellor of the Exchequer replied for three
Months.
In answer to some remarks from Sir C. Dilke on the Water
Bill, Mr. Cross said that nothing like a bargain had been
made with the. water companies and in answer to Sir J.
Goldsmid, the Cuancellor of the Exchequer said a Standing
Order would be passed to enable the private Bills to be
taken up in the next Parliament at the same point at which
they were left by the Dissolution.
In answer to Mr. Dlilwyn, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer said he saw no reason to alter the arrangement by
which the adjournment will occur on the 23rd inst.
Before going into Committee on the Navy Estimates there
was a short discussion on the general condition of the Navy,
started by Captain Pim, who moved a resolution setting out
that the Navy should consist of ships capable ot keeping the
sea in all weathers, of carrying on blockades, furnishing
convoys, Izc.
Sir J. Hay, In seconding it, maintained that the Navy was
not anciently strong in ironclads to maintain our maritime

supremacy. •
Mr. Childers deprecated a discustion before the Firsc
Lord had made his statement; but Mr. G Bentinck de-
clined to accede to this, and repeated his well-known views
as to the decadence of the British Navy; and after some
remarks from Mr.Gonrley with regard to the Naval Reserves,
Captain Pim withdrew his motion.
The House then went into Committee of Supply, and
Mr. W. H. Smith made his annual statement on the Navy
Estimates which, he said, showed a sliest decrease, and
which, he contended, in answer to the objections urged in
the preliminary diecussten, were amply sufficient for all the
necessities of the case. On the first vote of 58,800 men and
boys, he went into some derails as to the manning of the Navy,
assuring the House:that by the concurrent test4mony of all.the
°Mears with whom he had conversed there was a gradual
but certain improvement in the respectability and cha
ranter of the British sailor. With regard to the Reserves,
we had 17,000 of the First and Second Class, besides more
than 5,000 pensioners under the age of 50. He also related
the steps taken to regulate the sub lieutenants' list, as a
consequence of which he said the entry of Naval cadets
would be limited to 66 annually. On the Admiralty vote he
explained that the reorganization scheme bad not
only effected an economy which would ultimately
amount to £52,795, but had been a.lcompanied by
Increased efficiency. On the shipbuilding vote he
stated tries toe progreauluo 1".• 5.^11. 1..
dockyards and in private yards had been substan-
tially carried out, although It had been thought right not
to press on the completion of some of the most important
ironeleela pending experiments with corapound armours, the
result of which, he added, had fully justified the delay.
Experiments also had been going on in regard to the
armament of our ships, and a committee had been appointed
to make trial of a 43-ton breechloader which had been
designed for the largest ships of the Navy, as well as
Of an 8-Inch and a 6-inch breechloader for smaller
ships. Explaining the programme of the coming year,
be stated that it is intended to lay down one,
and possibly two ships, of a novel tips, which might be
described as a Colossus with two barbettes instead of two
turrets, which would be armed with four of the new breech-
loading 43-ton guns if they turned out to be successful, and
would also carry some of the smaller breechloaders and
machine guns. The speed would be 15 knots an
hour, the coal stowage 1,200 tons, and the coat for hall and
engines would be about £540,000. It Was also proposed to
lay down three nnarmoured cruisers, which would have an
average ocean speed of 14 knore, carrying coal enough
for 4 000 knots at this speed. In dealing wills this
portion of the Estimates Mr. Smith took the oppor-
tunity of deprecating overbuilding, pointing out the danger
that in the rapid advance of improvements in guns, armour,
a ship might become obsolete before she was complete;
and in explaining the use which it was intended to make of
the mercantile marine as cruisers in the event of war, he
mentioned that a new gun carriage Is under trial for the
8 inch guns, which if suecessful would lead to a groat
reduction In the number of men required to man a ship.
Provision is made for torpedo boats in order that
two may be allotted to each first-class ship; and
summing up the general condition of the Navy, be stated In
order to relieve any alarms which may have been created,
that there are ready in the dockyards, or nearly ready, nine
fronclade, four c)rvetter, two deepatels vessels, six tueret
ships for coast defence, twelve gunboats for river
service, and twenty-five gunboats for harbour de-
fence. As to repairs, he said that no ship would
be Repaired for which work could not be found, or
which would not be of use when repaired ; and with
regard to hit general policy, he said it would be to build the
smallest ships in which eoald be combined protection for
the vital parts, speed, handiness, and coal capacity. Finally,
he contended that, taken all round, though these were
•ipeameand economy" estimates, they were adequate for the
Work to be done.
The veto for men was agreed to, as were also sums on
account of the whole of the other votes, and of Classes 1 to
7 of the Civil Service.
Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journed at ten minutes past two o'clock.

In the HOUSE OF LORDS, March 9, Lord Bury announced
that, In consequence of the forthcoming General Election,
and the legal enactments against the appearance of armen
troops in the vicinity of pelling-places, the proposed Volun-
teer Review on Easter Monday will not be held.
The Settled Land Bill and the Conveyancing and Law of