The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-28 00:00:00

DlPkatiAL PARLIA MENT.

COST OP THE ASHANTICE EXPEDITION.
The special saturdas (2161)1114ms; of the Home of Commons
as devoted IdelOen rto usaely to the courshier.tion of extra
boIOS .0 „i„oeg tha seigespeles of the public
mortice t hht unease these wc the stow no
rei4iutrrd Oil
eccouit ni the ANA:toted Estelhil,m, utitior beaus a'ready
published, mu' in eltellite a portion or the °even. of Captalu
s oampalgel, as well as of thet of Ste Garnet Wolseley.
etc/piton W. taken by Sir Juhu Hay to the Item of £16,000,
tisteg the amoUnt expeuded on the pure'sage of the African
Briton, since known as the transport Dromedary.
Theltrst objection raised by the honourable beronet was most
she ship, bevies( been purchased for the navy, should be
charged to the Navy Estimates, and not to the 'Lehmann Ex-
pedition; next, that she was ass old ship, and a Blow ship,
'het her muskets had broken down, and, luferentially. Mut
oho •as uusuitable for the lietVin.., end not worth the mosey
geld for her. Ile thought therefore it ve,mll be ecouom y to
get rid other as soon MI possible. and he moved the moue-
dim or the yote by £15,000. Retoylug to these charges, Sir.
;haw Lefevre stated that the Diremor of transports picked
out the Briton frorn a la-se unman of vessels Dust vote
offered for the service. She was r‘toorced to he suitable
lot the cuhve) anus of levalida from the Gold Coast
to St vtoceol, end she was employed In the Bret
wiseco tu caeerina stores an I 100 Marinos to the seat
of wan The Breton wee tot pu.chased for the naval
service. but for the Ashantee Expeditioi , and no far
mai boleg a slow ship wen really as fees as any other
gore ship, though not au rapid as the Sarmatian, It hich Colt
e 35,000 fur dye months' hire, said whims rah I lee whole dta-
Wee at the ripe of It knots. AdrOral Elliot after the ex-
planation thus mace gave a qualified secouding to the
emendment. Mr Liddell commented that a slow ship hod
Igen s.lected to convey the Marines, who in the outset
of pee rempahin bore, aloug edits the Ind West lidlqs
Regiment. VA, hottest burnt of the .ar at a time
when the enemy was in lull feather In the Pecter-
borate. Mr. Ward Hurt said he accepted the explanation
which had been given. He would hare the ship properly
surveyed, and Is would then bellied& y to deride whether
she shoold be retained lathe service or sold. Mr. Goacheu
remarked that If his successor in office *tumid have to pro-
vide fore similar expailtiou to the one just terminated, he
trusted his rigi.t hon. friend would be as fortuoate as he kad
bees in procuring only one store ship or transport. regarding
which hostile criticism wi uld be exel,e,,, and that he would
be able to give ass equally gOO% ace, essic of an expenditure of
g 900,1100. Sit J. Flay then withdrew his amendment, and the
vote fru agreed to. AB

THE ZANZIBAR EXPEDITION.

kir. Egerton moved a supplementary t stlmate of Z 106,000
It defray the cost of the expedition to Gm:miner.
Mr Hmehen elplsfued, In answer to Sic J. thy, that the
rote had reference to the mission of Sir BArtle Frees. It was
thought caper lent by the navel sutin. Mlles that a block ship
should be stationed st Zar zbar, whh a small fact.dry upon
It In order to make the ne..essary repair, of the ships eu•
raged In supprtssing the ellen trade. 'lhe moo ey was re-
quired for this purpose.
The estimate was agrmd to.
The House ti ,u adj ur u ed.

In the Elonse of Lorde, March SS, Lord Lauderdale csTed
attention to the stet° 01 the Navy, and his lordship's oeser-
vatlonion the sal-Pict were suppleuented by remarks .from
Lord Mainniabury • Lord Cauperdown awl the Duke of
Somerset,
Lord Gokbester, referring to the frauds carried on by the
use of false weigitt• and measure., hundred whether the
tiovernment liTtoded to introdibe soy measure for the
carrying out the recommendations of the Standards Cern-
mission of 1870.
Lord Dunmore replied that that portion of the Report re
biting to tie variety sod the inspection of *eights and
Measures was row order the c,tpideretion of the (lover's-
meet, and after Eider ho wool be prepared to state what
ocurse would be pursued in reference to the matter.
Lord Limerick moved for certain returns relating to the
increased difficulty connected 11h recruiting for the Militia.
Ile believed that one of the c.use., rinong when, of the
difficulty In o 'tabling recruit. was Um cnenge effected by the
dhoti Mimi of the bounty, which had not been fully com-
pensated Ice by Increase of pay.
Lord Midleton expressed hts opinion that the changes re-
cently Intioduced had to a cens'elersble extent disc elated
the Militia Regime Ilt. from the umittles to which they be-
longed, and believed th,t few regime i ts were Low able to
obtain their tull ctreplement of olii.2er..
Lord Pembroke had no objection to the production of the
returns moved for, and thought the dlicurelou should be de-
fined until they were prenuted.
Lord Laneowne conceived that the fact that during the
course of last year no his than between 25.000 aqd 26,000
recruits joined the Militia was a very good proof that re-
cruiting for the Militia was tot entirely standing ettil Ihe
effect of recent chapel had been to leave the Militiaman
very much ache stood before or it there was any difference.
It was rather tibia favour.
The motion for the returns was then agreed to, and their
lordship. .rj orirneJ.
-

In the House of Commons, on going into Committee of
Supply.
air. Sandford, seconded by Lord A. Russell, moved a itoso-
tattoo In favour of exempting Incomes under £5OO a year
from the Income Tax This, he eeciared, wee the only mode
of relieving the presture of too Tax and ,X gettiog rid of dis-
honest returns.
Mr. Seonreeld protested strongly against the practice of
Dying to obtain premature declarations against particular
Wes from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr. Laing, while deprecating a premature discussion of
Mr. Gladstone's financial programme, especially in his ab-
sence, argued et length against the total sibilition of the
Income Tax. He described it as the key-.torte id our
financial system, dwelling on tie value as an lustre:tenant tor
the reduction f more oppressive taxes, for the adjust-
ment of Taxation (slyly smog all cheeses, and for the
reduction of Debt. These pants he illustrated by a re•
%respect of one flnanclal history during the existence
of !he Tar, sod with regard to Mr. Gladstone's recent
oder to repeal it (which he spoke of as "an audacious
Inspiration"), he accepted Baron Rothschild'a celcula.
now toot it would cost at least in 00000, remembering
that Indirect Taxes must also be reduced and that
new taxes lioro.l be nicasary. Mr. Lang dilated next
on the political as well as the fiscal Importance
of retaining one great muise qf revenue intact in
ouz system, and lusisfe i that if It were abolished
no relief could be given to Local Taxation, nor
should we see another surplus for many years to come.
Moreover, he deuh'ed whether it was so universally at -
popular—indtcating otter taxes, snob ea the Malt Tax, Rail-
way Pazgenger Butte., eke, the removal ot wretch had more
earnest advocates. He agreed, however, that the Tax was
capahle of many improvements, wh•ch would lightest Its
pressure, and, among others, he mentioned a readjustment
of the r.hadules, bled We:meta., and a compoelii de for
extended
lir Hermon spoke stalest the motion, and Mr. C. Lewis
also opposed the ertension of ear mtt ons as the worst mode
of dealing with the t ex, which he asserted the middle clue
was determined to hare swept away.
air. Horman deprecated the (either pr dongatton of a
premature debate; and, atter Lord Robert Montage had
said a few word. sgamst the tax, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer wound up the e lecuesion by thanking those
who had taken part he It for their contributions to his
Budget, quoting the old remindk that though a question
was not India:tett, the answer might be. Mr. Sandford
withdrew his motion; and the House, having gone
Into Committ,e of Slippy, Sir. Hunt and Me Hardy made
an appeal tea behalf of their respective Departments to be
allowed to take a vote of credit for 9.1,0<0,,0u each, without
making the usual statement. Mr. Hardy held out a hope
that he should be Isine to explain the Army Estimates on
Monday next, but Mr. Hunt said it would be impossible for
Mtn e, make any statement before Raster. Mr. Goechen
support.; the appeal, and, no objection being taken, the
following votes of Credit were agreed
R2,00',/,000 for the Naval Services.

22,000,000 for the
,4krmy
Al, 88 eOO for Civhfiervlcer.

A 1,228000 for the Revenue Dvpartmeotv.
The Fast PAR Lean 811 l was read a second time, and hills
were brought to by Mr. Hutt awl Mr Bryan to weintilate the
Mich Electoral and 31ublcipal Primal. to 11.0 English law.
Other *ills were also brought In by venous private members,
and the liaceadunfled.

TUE FREQUENCY OF RAILWAY ACCIDIENTit.
In the ilonse of Lords, March Et, Loot De Ls Warr pr
sentem a petition from the Chamber of C .moerce of Edit,
burgh, exit:losing sham at the freq,eicy of railway sect- I
dents. ant praying for the passing GI some legialstive me&
sure with the obltet ct diminishing their number. Mr
moved for certain papers on the aubj•ct, observing that a
feeling of apprehenrion had spread anbtrat the community,
owing to the alarming reports of accident; cmasiued In the
newtpspers, confirmed an they were by the circular lotted
by the Board GI Trade, and he trotted the 0 ivernment
would without delay take the matter that sea-Ms cOrsldera-
Lord Donmore promised to give the desire I Information,
&icing that the Board of Treats was euxious to obtain full
and accerste ramie of the number of railway accidents.
Lord Mliileton hoped steps world be taken to place the
Board of irmic la a beam poltlonthart at present for deal-
ing with canes of railway accidents,
Zced Carlingford did not think it desafahle on the present
ss,ssion to enter into the general ,tueiti, n of railway acct.
nY doubt that tile returns of accidents hot-
dents, bat
pOOOO, sotioss :erystas were not complete; though he had
reasou todittrust the annitattlal accuracy of the returns
no .
d accidents happening to rat: passengers lithe fun-
'll
way companies ahould manifest an: Jain, lo adopting the
moat approved means for securing tfavallaut
raritarnent would, no donut, then feel beam .7° ARPIN cow.
publc n
The Duke of Richmond bore testimony to the rare taken
front time to time by the hoard Of Trade with the view of
preventing accidents end of cbtatuing all au:orate information
on the aurae :L.
Lord Abet deco then moved for, return of the number of
persons employed on railways and of the name of their
work, which was a 1116(1 to, ana their Lordships then ad.
mimed.