The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-03-20 00:00:00

THE ESTIMATES.

In answer to questions as to the course of business
it was stated that Mr. Hibbert, who was absent from
indisposition, would make his statement on the Navy
Estimates on Thursday, and the Army Estimates are
postponed until next Monday.

SII"PpLY.
On the motion to go into Committee of Supply on
the Navy Estimates, Lord 0. Beresford called atcention
to the large number of unemployed skilled artisans in
the shipbuilding ports, and moved a resolution declaring
that a suitable opportunity was now afforded for
increasing the efficiency of the navy at the least
possibla expense to the country. In the course of a
much applauded speech he dealt in detail with the
present defective condition of the navy and the cheap-
ness of material, and insisted upon the importance of
additional vessels being immediately constructed. He
asked for five cruisers of 5000 tons, 15 of 2000 tons,
three torpedo depot- bhips, 21 vessels of the
Grasshopper type, and a large number of sea-
going torpedo boats. The total cost of these
he estimated at £5,577,000, which he recom-
mended should be provided by suspending the
sinking fund or creating terminable annuities. He
advocated also an improved system of education for
naval officers, the formation of a training squadron, the
annual grouping of fleets for practical manceuvring at
full speed. the strengthening of our coaling stations
abroad, and better provision for the defence of the vier.

oantile marine ot our coasts Finally he dwelt on the
decirahility of increasing the number of naval
vo.,..ate-ers who, he thought, with very little encourage..
mcnt, might be made a very valuable means of defence.
Gourley seconded the motion; and Mr. Bethell,

dwelling on the advantages of torpedoes over guns,
recommended that improved scientific education in
torpedo warfare should be provided. Mr. Jen-
kins also believed in the superiority of tor-
pedoes over guns, and, while advocating the
importance of cruisers' deprecated any further expense)
being incurred.—Mr. Pearce dwelt upon the import-
ance of increasing the number of ironclads, and Sir D.
Currie, in support of the motion, repeated his complaint
as to the inefficiency of the navy, and advocated a
policy of being prepared in advance.—Sir J. Commerell
bore testimony to the inferior condition of the
machinery in the vessels of the fleet which he
recently commanded on the North American sta-
tion, and eepecially complained of the obsolete
character of many of the vessels now in use.
—Sir T. Brassey advised the Government not to
lay down any more ironclads if foreign Governments
ceased building them, and expressed the opinion
that all our resources should be directed in the
future to build vessels for the protection of our com-
merce.—Captain Field supported the motion, but
recommended the withdrawal of that portion of it re-
ferring to the sinking fund and terminable annuities.—
Sir E. J. Reed reminded the House that the important
programme of Lord Northbrook for strengthening the
navy was now being carried out, and that no fewer than
seven vessels of the first class had been laid down, and
would be rapidily advanced. He contended that it was
tar more important to proceed with vessels of that kind
than to engage forthwith in the construction of a
minor class of vessels which, in case of emergency,
could be constructed in private yards with extreme
rapidity. Lord G. Hamilton thought that the navy was
very deficient in gunboats and small vessels, and
advised the Government to raise an additional sum of
£2,000,000 by means of terminable &muities, in order
to put the navy into an efficient condition.—Mr. Duff
said the Government had already incurred a responsi-
bility of ever £3,000,000 for new ironclads, and he
thought it would be wise to discharge some part of that
respon.i.bility before laying down new vessels. He
admitted that there was some difficulty in obtaining
torpedo boats quickly enough, but intimated that the
question of building them in the Royal dockyards was
under consideration. After some remarks by Mr.
Ritchie, the Chancellor of the Exchequer opposed the
motion, and contended that the House would not
be justified in the present condition of the country
in placing additional burdens upon the people.—Sir M.
H. Beach feared that the Government were about to
cripple the fleet by not providing for the defence of
the coaling stations, but he declined for financial
reasons to support the motion, as the sinking fund, he
suspected, was already mortgaged, while to the creation
of terminable annuities he could not consent,

On a division the motion was negatived by 206 to
93, and the House having gone into committee the
vote for men and boys was agreed to, progress being
then reported.
The Marriages Validity Bill was read a second time,
and several other measures were advanced a stage.
The House adjourned at a quarter-past two.
- - -
PLRISH CHURCHES 81/L.
- -

In the Hcusu OF Loans, March 16, the Bishop of
Peterborough moved the second reading of the Parish
Churches Bill, which, he said, was by no means the
revolutionary and confiscatory measure which it was by
many supposed to be. It merely enforced old prin-
ciples and sought to bring existing practices into con-
formity with existing law. The object of the bill, he
said, was to re-enact the old law of the Church, that all
parish churches should be free for the common use of
all parishioners, and he maintained that this had been
the true principle of Church government from the time
of the Reformation. Having pointed out the evils of
the system of pew appropriation which had crept in,
and the harm it did to the Church, he explained that
the bill would enable any person, without regard to
rank or position, to obtain a seat in his parish
church.—Lord Grimthorpe moved the rejection of
the bill, which, he saki, was regarded by no
small number of the clergy with great alarm. In a
caustic review of the bill, he pointed out that the
preamble misrepresented the law, and that its operative
clauses were utterly inconsistent with it and with them-
selves; and he said of it generally that it Contained
more blunders even than the new Ecclesiastical Acts.—
Earl Nelson, on the other hand, supported the bill, and
dissented entirely from Lord Grimthorpe's view of the
law.—Lord Granville thought that Lord Grimthorpe
had pointed out some fatal flaws in the bill, and adrised
the Bishop of Peterborough to withdraw it and bring in
another; and after some remarks from Lord Selborne,
who thought the present state of things had been
exaggerated, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested
that the bill should be read a second time and referred
to a Select Committee.—The Bishop of Peterborough
accepted this suggestion, and the bill was read a second
time, and ordered to be referred to a Select Committee.
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.

Lord Denman moved the second reading of the
Women's Suffrage Bill, which was negatived without
a division, and their lordships adjourned at five
minutes past seven o'clock.