The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-22 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 22, 1862'.

THE WAS IN CHINA.

Mr. S. FITZGERALD asked the Secretary of State for
India whether there was any truth in the painful rumour
current to-day that the government were in receipt of in-
formation that our troops had sustained some serious re-
verse in China. . ..

Sir C. WOOD replied that nothing had been received in
his department, nor, as far as he was ►ware, in any other
department of the government, which he could communicate
to the house.
THE CHANN EL MAILS.

Mr. BERKELEY inquired whether the contract with Mr.
A. G. Churchyard for carrying the continental mails be-
tween Dower and Calais and Dover and Attend had been
transferred by that gentleman to any other person or com-
pany, and whether such transfer, if made, had received the
sanction of her Majesty's government?
Mr. F. PEEL replied th►t he was not aware of any such
transfer having been made, and the contract expressly pro-
vided that none each should be made.
DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.—AMENDMENT OF
THE POOR-LAW.

Mr. VILLIERS gave notioe of his intention to ask leave
to-morrow (thu day) to introduce a bill to enable boards of
guardians in various parts of England to meet any extraor-
dinary demands for relief. (Beer, hear.)

THE NATIONAL GALLERY AND THE ROYAL
ACADEMY.

Upon the order of the day for going into committee of
tuPPly,
Lord ELCHO moved en address to her Majesty to issue
a royal commission to inquire into the present position of
the Royal Academy in relation to the fine arts, and into
the circumstances and conditions under which it occupies •
portion of the National Gallery, and to suggest such
measures as may be required to render it more useful
in promoting art and in improving and developing public
taste. He explained his own views and the course he
suggested in the matter of the site of the academy, and,
with reference to the concluding terms of the motion, he
adverted to the complaints made against the academy, for
which he thought there must be some foundation, and to
the failures in our public statues and monuments, marlin
that there was sufficient ground for an inquiry whether the
Royal Academy might not be made a much more useful and
important body than it was.
Mr. COWPER said the reasons assigned by Lord Elcbo
for his motion indisposed him to offer any opposition to it,
and be was sure that the Royal Academy, which had the
responsibility of a public corporation, would be loth
to claim any exemption from public inquiry. He ad-
mitted that there were points in which the schools of the
Royal Academy might be improved ; he thought its exhi-
bition conferred very great benefit upon the public at large,
and, as to rewards of merit, that the present method was
u good an arrangement as could be made. He trusted that
the commission might serve • good purpose by closely
investigating the details of management of the academy,
and suggesting means by which its objects might be better
attained.

Lord .T. MANNERS trusted that there would he no
revival of the attacks which used to be made on the Royal
Academy, and the injustice of which had been proved by
the manner in which our English artists had been enabled
to hold their owu—to say the least of it—against the artists
of foreign countries, whose works had been sent to the
Great Exhibition. His noble friend had suggested that it
would be desirable to build • new gallery on the site of
Burlington-house, and he (Lord J. Manners) hoped that
the liberal offer of the Royal Academy, to carry out that
proposal at their own expense, would receive the best con-
sideration of the proposed commission.
Lord ELCHO withdrew his motion, and gave notice that
he would renew it on another occasion.
STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AMERICA.

Mr. SCULLY called attention to the imperial importance
end the feasibility of estathshin; a postal and passenger in-
tercouree between Europe and N orth America, by means of
mail steamers to call regularly, on alternate days, at the
port of Cork, with telegraphic communication off Crook-
haven or Cape Clear ; and naked the First Lord of the
Treanor, the views of her Majesty's government with regard
thereto. The hon. gentleman disclaimed any idea of treat-
ing the matter as a Cork question. In point of fact, he wee
coostrained to admit that the Galway people, by the supe-
rior energy they had shown, deserved to have the line esta-
blished in connexion with their port. He had not a single
Cork man in the house to support him, and he did not
think that his advocacy of the scheme would gain
him a single additional vote amongst his coo-
stituenta Nevertheless, he felt it his duty to
press the matter upon the attention of the government
as an important one upon purely imperial grounds. Cork
was in reality some 90 or 100 miles nearer America than
Cialsrsy ; and he had no doubt that by adopting it, the
passage to the United States might without any additional
expense be shortened four or live hours. He felt bound,
therefore, tourge the government to adopt the proposal, and
to utibes all the existing contracts they had with a view
to carrying it into effect. By the line he proposed they
would get red of all subsidies, and he had no doubt that
eventually it would be adopted as the most convenient
route of communication between Europe and America.

Lord PALMEBSTON felt bound to say that the persua-
sive eloquence of his hoe. and learned friend, when he
brought this subject wider his notice before, sufficiently
explained to him, as it did on the present occasion, how
it was that he, not having any natural connexion with
Cork, should have persuaded the electors of that county to
send him to parliament—(► laugh)—but the impression was
somewhat modified when his hon. and learned friend, as
an inducement to him (Lord Palmerston) to give him •
favourable answer, said that if that answer were given he
would go away to-morrow romping, and not trouble the
home again this session. (" Has, hear," and laugh-
ter.) Now he had no wish to lose his hon.
and learned friend, for upon whatever question he
addressed the house, he showed that he was thoroughly
muter of it, and always brought to bear upon it that hu-
mour—that good humour—which was peculiar to Inch.
Mee. (Cheers.) There were great advantages which Cork
pommeled, no doubt, but there were other harbours in
Inland which bad equal or superior capabilities as a point
of departure, being nearer to America, and offering the
facilities of • shorterroute. But without entering into these
details, all he could say was, that the general subject of
these transatlantic postal contracts ms under the conside-
ration of the government, who would give it the Lest atten-
tion in their power. if he understood his hon. and learned
friend rightly, his argument was that there should be no
subsidy to any company, but that the ocean postage should
be held a sufficient remuneration for carrying the mails.
That point also was under consideration, as well as the
other, viz. the Galway contract. (Neer, bear.)
Colonel FRENCH said • few words in favour of Galway.
Lord FERKOY denied that there was any jealousy on
the part of Cork towards Galway, but contended that there
was no port which was so entirely established ea • port of
call as Cork. As to its being • port of departure, that was •
different thing, and upon that point he urged upon the
government to preserve an impartial position. The Trans-
atlantic Company had applied for • renewal of the subsidy,
and he would urge upon the government to consider that
application favourably ; but with regard to choosing the port
of call, he would say, let that be left to the good sense of the
commercial men who invested their money in the undertaking.
When government granted • subsidy of 70,0001. a-year they
should take care that it was granted to Ireland generally.
He would ask the government, for the sake of the share-
holders and those who had embarked their money in the
Galway cortract, to leave it to experience to say which
would be the best port of departure from Ireland On the
other point mentioned by his boa. and learned friend, he
would state that vessels did not make Crookhsven a port
of call, and therefore it would be of no use to make it a
telegraphic station. It was only is floe weather that vessels
could make Crookbaven, and then telegraphic communica-
tion would be valueless. This was not an Irish qualities,
nor au English question, but • European question. And that
question was—which was the shortest route between
Central and Buttes Europe and America and if the
government utilised the materials which were is existence
they might immensely shorten the line of communication
between England and America. But it was really time the
colds lord at the brad of the government came to some
decision in reference to the Galway contract. (Hear, hear.)
It was a erne' thing to keep all the shareholders—many of
them of mall mesas—in • state of suspense for so long a
period of time, and he hoped it would soon be put an end
to. (Rear, bear.)
Mr. BUT said that io the year 1859, be was in a position
which enabled him to call a meeting of peers and
others Interested in Irish affairs to discuss the
question of making Cork • port of call, and it
was the unanimous feeling of those present that
nothing should be done to prevent the government
giving • subsidy to the Galway contract. The meeting
thought that the people of Galway, by their superior am
tirity, or it might be by accident, had • claim on the go-
vernment which the other portions of the Irish people did
sot poneat, and that it ought not to be interfered with.
14.(11r, Batt) thought that nothing would be more uofor-
innate alas to start • question of jealousy between Galway
and Oadt, sod balional the noble lead woad, if h• goa-
-1

salted the wishes of the pimple of Ireland, seriously con-
sider that the claim of Galway was paramount. (Hear.)
THE RECENT RULES AND ORDERS OF THE
LORD CHANCELLOR. -

Mr. COX ailed attention to the general rules sod orders
of the High Court of Mauer, issued by the Lord High
Chancellor on the 16th of May, 1862, and moved that such
rules and orders ought not to continue in force. He coo-
tended that these rules and orders were prejudicial to a
large body of persons, without any benefit to the suitors or
the public, and a large charge would be thrown thereby
upon the Suitors' Fee Fund.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL observed that it should be
only in extreme cues that the house interfered in reviewing
orders which the judges of the courts of law thought would
promote, the interests of justice. They could have no other
motive, and the house would do wisely to listen with
jealousy to the complaints of parties (the law stationers)
whose pockets happened to be touched by the substitution
of pnnted for written documents.
The house divided :

iOrNT Coac'ssamodment 26
ApirsB it
DDITURBANCINI IN EIERNIC

Mr. D. GRIFFITH complained that the noble lord bad
not answered the whole of the question which he had put
to him at an earlier paiod of the evening.
Lord PALMERSMN—Mr. Speaker--
The SPEAKER—I bac to remind the noble lord that he
has already spoken on tars subject. (Laughter.)

INDIAN FINANCE&
Mr. AYRTON ram, pursuant to notion. to all the atten-
tion of the house to the large balance* held in India and in
England on account of the government of India, and to the
manner in which the finance accounts for India laid before
the house were made up ; and to ask the Secretary of State
for India, whether any part of the balances would be
applied towards the repayment of the loans by means
of which the balances had been increased; and, whether
the finance aooounta would be made up in a clearer manner.
Sir C. WOOD said he did not think it neosisary on that
occasion to enter into the general question of Indian finance.
In reply to the observations of the hon. and learned gentle-
man he had to state that the accounts were kept in the
form settled a few years since by a committee of that house.
They required a good deal of study, but from the nature
and extent of those accounts that was to be expected. Ilia
hon. and learned friend had referred to particular items. If
he had turned to page 8 of the account he would have seen
an entry for the temrorau loans and the Treasury bills
lamed ; he would also have seen the account of loans paid
off and Treasury bills discharged. With regard
to military charges, at page 48 was net forth the
amount expended for Indian and home forces, as
it was stated by him ► few nights since.
He was unwilling to make any change in the form of the
accounts unless he clearly saw that they would appear in a
more satisfactory manner than at present.