The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF WRDS.—Tans..4Dex, JCLY 21.

-.v.
The LORD CIIIIOILI,OII took hia mat on the woolsack at
o'clock.
The following bills ware read a third time and pared :
West Drinstmd, Cuckfield, and Hayward's Heath Junction
Railway ; North Devon and &mullet Railway ; Worcester,
Dean Forst, and Monmouth Railway ; Glasgow (city)
Union Railway; Metropolitaa Railway (Nottinglill and
Brompton &tangos); Launceston, &drip, and Wade-
bridge Junction Railway ; Alton, Alreaford, and Winchester
Railway ; Liverpool Cramp Station Railway ; Alford and
Mablethorpe Railway ; Tamar Pitt Hill and Callingtoa Rail-
way ; and Drayton Junction Railway.
Lord REDESDALR moved that no petition praying to
be heard by oouusel against any metropolitan railway bill
be receiver by that house unless premented at or before
Friday next.
Agreed to.

The Earl of CARNARYGN presested a petition from
certain iohabitante of the comity of Surrey complaining of
the contemplated establiehmeut of a female penitentiary in
junta position with an setablisbonent for male convicts.
The Duke of ARGYLL said be would represent the
matter to the Secretary of State for the Rome Department

BURIAL REGISTRATION BILL
and The report
to. of amendments on this bill was brought op
agreed
COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS BILL.
This bill pissed throught committee.
INCLOSURE (No. 2) BILL
This bill passed through committee.
TRESPASS (IREL AN D) BILL

This bill puma throagh'coomit4es.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (METRIC SYSTEM)
BILL.

The Eul of FORTESCUE presented • petition from the
Associated Chambers of Commerce in favoar of this bill.
The Dobleearl thee moved that the bill be read a second
time.

The Marquis of SALISBURY admitted the confusion in
the existing system of weights and measures, but thought
that this bill would only tend to increase that confusion. He
moved as au amendment, that the bill be read a second
tune that day three months, but suggested that at this
period of the semi= the better course would be to with-
draw the message.

thiska;l of DbNOUGHMORE observed, that if this
country had paned through such a crisis u France did in
1789, it might Dot be disadvantageous to adopt the metric
system, but paths bill did not propose to abolish the pre-
sent system, but only to legalize the metric system. and
allow it to go on pan paean with the old, he thought it
would tend to make the confusion now complained of much
greater. Nothing bat compulsory legislation would induce
the people to give up a system to which they had long been
accustomed in favour of one even more scientific and simple.
He hoped the house would reject the bill.
The Duke of ARGYLL intended to rote for the bill, and
mainly because be had heard no argument whatever against
it. The chambers of commerce io this country had, almost
without exception, petitioned in favour of the bill, a coo-
elusive proof that a very large number of mercantile firms
were willing and able to use the metric system. It
was said that the metric system would add to
the existing confusion, but he thought that no-
thing could possibly add to that confusion. (Hear. hear.)
In Scotland nothing could be more inconvenient than the
present system. There were bolls and bushels varying in
capacity in almost every county. He did not think that the
bill would very readily alter the habits of the people with
to the use of local weights and measures, but be
i i
believed that the new system would be adopted by mane
large mercantile firms. This was not a compulsory bill,
but one which allowed the system to be used where both
parties to thereatract assented. He therefore did not see
that any possible risk or danger could arise from passing the

- The Earl of HARROWBY expressed hie approval of the
bill.

Lord BROUGHAM looked upon the bill an an important,
though not a very great, step in the right direction, and
hoped to see -the decimal and metnc system universal in
this country. He spoke of the system not only in regard
to its oonventeriee in mercantile transactions and in inter-
course with other nations. hut as the friend of education.
The half-time system, which was one of the greatest im-
provements of the day, had reduced the time and expense
of education, besides having a most wholesome effect both
on the mental and bodily faculties of scholars, and it was
stated by Mr. Chadwick that the decimal and metric system
would save one-half the time now required in the teaching
of arithmetic, and that all the elementary 'chisel teachers
whom ho had met with were favourable to its introduction.
This was a step •in the right direction, and he trusted it
would lead to much greater extension of the principle into
this coubtry.
The Earl of CAILNARVON opposed the second reading.
It seemed to him this was a question which it was most im-
portant should be considered by a select committee.
Their lordship.' then divided
Contents
Noo.oontents
The bill was then read a mooed time

7.5- 1 I

The following bills were mad a wood time :—The Tarn-
piks Acta Castiaamme, Ao. Militia Pay aad the itegistra-
tioo of Deeds. (Irelaud).

POISONED FLESH PROHIBITION, Sc., BILL.

Lord RELIESDALE moved the wooed reading of this
bill. Tee ptiosiple of the measure was the same as that
which had best admitted by parliament with regard to
poisoned grab.
Their lordships divided :

For the ;Cooed reading 3l
Against
The bill Iris accordingly read a mooed time.
The .lurticee Proceeding Confirmation Bill was a/so rr ad
a second time.

The Sale al Gas Bill and the Naval Discipline 'till gamed
through committee.

The Mutual Surrender of Criminals (Prusis) Bill, the
Thames Embankment sod Metropolis Improvdment Loans)
Bill, the Isle of Man Harbour Act Amendmi at Bill, and
the Militia Ballots Boopension Bill were read a third time
and passed.
The Local Government Act (1858) Amendment Bill
paned through committee.
The Expg Laws Costinuacce Bill wu read a same I
time.

The Highways Act Amendment Bill was read a aernd
time and referred to a select committee.

The lonian State, Acta of Parliament Repeal Bill was
read a aecondtime.

The Turnpike Trusts Arraaganwesta Bill was read a second
time. _ _

Their lordships adjourned at 10 miaotes to 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF 00b1MON&THCIU3DAY, JULY 21.
The SPLMII took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Beirut Cameral Railway Bill, Chitteadrai'a Lirbilitis
Removal Bill, 1111aines' &tato Bill, the Great Northam and
Western (of Inland) Railway 110. 1) Bill, the Great
Northern and Wearers (of Ireland) Railway (No. 2) all,
the !lubber'fon Docks Bill, the Irish North Western Rail.
way Bill, Lord Hawn' (Horsham, All Souls College) E.t.te
Bill, and the Xi!twill Canal, Wharfs, and Graving Docks
Bill, wore rod a thud time and pared.