The Press.
London, England, 1854-08-12 00:00:00

THE CAMPBELL MONUMENT.

Lord CAMPBELL on Thursday complained of the
continued exclusion of the statue of the poet Camp-
bell from Westminster Abbey, arising from the exor-
bitant fee (2100 demanded by the dean and chapter
for its admission. The present Premier, the late Sir
R. Peel, Lord J. Russell, and many other distin-
guished personages had attended the poet's funeral,
and he hoped that they would either use their in-
fluence with the dean and chapter to obtain a with-
drawal of their demand, or be prepared next session
to propose a grant to secure the erection of a statue
which had now remained five years in the artist's
studio waiting admittance to Poets' Corner.
The Earl of ABERDEEN fully sympathised in the
almiration of the poet's talents, and the respect ex-
p eased for his memory, but suggested that a contri-
bution from those who shared these feelings, to which
he would bear his part, would be more appropriate
than a grant of the public money. The chapter had
not., as most such bodies had, large funds to draw
upon, and were compelled to make these exactions
to keep their magnificent abbey in repair.
• THE SLAVE TRADE.
Attention was called by Mr. HUMS on Wednesday
to the report lately presented on the subject of the
slave trade in Cuba. The hon. member urged the
necessity of making renewed application for the
fulfilment of the treaties with Spain for a total sup-
pression of the trade to Cuba, the only place, he said,
where Slaves were now carried. He acknowledged

THE PRESS.

that everything had been done by her Majesty's Go-
vernment that could be done with the Government
of Spain, but all efforts were defeated by the venality
of the Cuban authorities, countenanced by members
of the Royal Family of Spain who were connected
with the trade.
Lord J. RUSSELL lamented that, after so much bad
been done by Great Britain, France, the United States,
the maritime powers of Europe, and lately by Brazil,
to extinguish the slave trade, it should be still carried
on under the protection of Spain at Cuba. Measures,
however, had been taken of a most stringent nature
for the liberation of all negroes recently brought into
the island, and for the infliction of penalties upon
offenders. Unfortunately, it. was too true that the
venality of official persons opposed obstacles, and
it was notorious that Queen Christina derived a con-
siderable profit from the traffic in slaves. A change
had, however, taken place in the Government of Spain,
and General Concha had been appointed Governor-
General of Cuba. There was every disposition to put
down this trade on the part of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, who would keep a watchful eye on the sub-
ject, and exert every effort to accomplish the great
object of putting a total stop to this abominable
tarmac. Alluding to the new governor of Spain, the
noble lord said :
" With respect to Espartero, the Due de Victoria, at pre-
sent at the head of the Spanish Government, I may observe
that, having long known him, I have reason to believe that
a person of greater integrity, or of more liberal views on
every subject, could not be found ; and I am quite sure that
he will discountenance the slave trade, and that anything
like that venality and corruption which has hitherto been
the curse of Spain will meet from him the severest re-
probation. (Cheers.)"
Sir G. PECHELL recommended the employment of
a stronger naval force on the coast of Cuba, with
screw-steamers of small draught.
THE AUSTRALASIAN COLONIES.
Replying to a question put by Sir J. Pakington on
Tuesday,
Sir G. GREY said that three communications had been
received from South Australia, Victoria, and New South
Wales, coutaining the new constitutions agreed to by the
Legislatures of those three colonies. All of them in
framing their constitutions had exceeded the powers given
to them, and it was requisite that they should have the
sanction of Parliament before they would have force. The
communications were being printed, and in the meantime
the governors of those colonies had been written to to say
that the matter was under consideration.

THE PROPORTIONS IN THE MILITAPY AND NAVAL
SERVICES who are returned as married in every 100
of each class are 25 officers and 15 men in the army ;
30 officers in the navy, and 24 seamen ; while two
officers in 100 and one man in 100 are widowerh in
the army, and one officer and one man in the navy.
The proportion of bachelors in civil life is 31 in every
100 persons of the age of 20 and upwards. Among
the officers of the age of 20 and upwards serving in
the army, 71 in 100; among the men, 82 in 100;
among the officers in the Royal Navy, CO in 100;
among the seamen, 60 in 100 are returned as
bachelors.
PRINCE RADZIWILL, of the Prussian service, being
on a visit to Plymouth on Tuesday last, accompanied
Major-General Sir Harry Smith to the Hoe, where
the General Commanding in-Chief in the Western
District inspected the Ist Somerset Militia, under the
command of Colonel Lord Viscount Hinton, and the
2nd South Devon, under the command of Lieutenant-
Colonel Sir J. B. Y. Buller, Bart., M.P. At the con-
clusion of the inspection, Sir Harry and the Prince
briefly addressed the officers and men. Sir Harry
then called upon the troops to give three cheers for
the Prince. " Prussia," be said, " was a brave and
gallant nation ; they stood by us at the battle of
Waterloo, and would stand by us again." The Prince
and a distinguished party afterwards lunched with
Sir Harry and Lady Smith, at the governor's house,
Mount \Vise. In the evening the Prince dined at
the Engineer and Artillery mess, and on Wednesday
morning left Plymouth. He paid a visit to Ports-
mouth Dockyard on Thursday.
EXTENSIVE EXPERIMENTS are now being made, by
order of Government, to test the effect of shot made
from antimony upon wooden as well as iron surfaces.
As far as they have been tested, the destructive
effects of these balls are far greater than those arising
from iron ones, for, as soon as the surface is struck,
the metal, owing to its great brittleness, breaks, and
the various particles become widely spread. The
authorities seem to be much pleased with the success
which has attended these experiments; and an im-
mediate supply of antimony balls is to be despatched
to our fleets in the Baltic and Black Seas.
A NUMBER OF POLICE-OFFICERS belonging to the
metropolitan districts, specially appointed for active
duty at the seat of war, took their departure on Mon-
day evening last from London, en route for Scuth-
ampton, thence for Constantinople, and finally to
settle at Varna, or any other place where their ser-
vices might be more required. The corps consisted
of about twenty of the finest men in the force, who
volunteered to go upon foreign service.

751

RESUME OF THE SESSION.
THE Parliamentary Session which will this day be brought
to a close differs from its predecessors of the last nine-
and-thirty years, in that it has been emphatically a War
Session. Not a week had elapsed from the time of its
assembling before the " Eastern question " became the great
topic of our senators; and from that time forth it formed the
most engrossing subject of their debates.
Parliament having assembled upon the 91st of January,
the House of Commons has sat since that period upon 125
days, extending over 045 hours, whilst the House of Lords has
sat upon 100 days, extending over 208 hours. The average du-
ration of the daily sittings of the Commons, therefore, has been
something more than 71 hours, and of the Lords 2 1745
hours. The vicious habit of sitting past midnight, although
not carried to the extent of last session, has still been prac-
tised largely by the Commons, especially within the last
month, when three o'clock in the morning has been no un-
common hour of adjournment. Their sittings past mid-
night have amounted to 85 hours, or 10f days of eight
hours each. The Lords have only offended in this respect
upon three occasions, and their total hours past midnight
amount to but 3f. The "no house " phenomenon and
the " counts out," so often looked to with hope by the
reporters, have been very rare. Of the former there have
been two and of the latter four. Two of the " counts out"
lime been the result of sheer inanition at past one o'clock
in the morning. The total number of divisions in the
Commons has been 232 as against 260 in the previous
session ; and in the Lords 27 as against 25.
Subjoined is a résumé of some of the more important
events of the session :

JANUARY.
31. Parliament opened by the Queen in person. The
address (which was moved in the Lords by the Earl of
Carnarvon and seconded by the Earl of Lucie, and moved
in the Commons by Lord Castlerosse and seconded by Mr.
Hankey) was agreed to without an amendment. In the
course of the debate a discussion took place with regard to
the alleged interference of the Prince Consort with mili-
tary appointments and the affairs of the Foreign-office,
which resulted in a successful refutation of the charge.

FED &CART:

2. The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought in a bill
to alter the mode of providing for certain expenses now
charged upon certain branches of the public revenue and
the consolidated flid.
3. Mr. Cardwell brought in two bills with reference to
merchant shipping.
6. The Msrquis of Clanricardc drew attention briefly
to the Eastern question. Lord J. Russell introduced the
Oaths Bill.

7. The Earl of Hardwicke directed attention to the
state of the navy list. Mr. 1. Butt brought forward the
question of the " conduct of Irish members," as it had
been described in the Times of the previous day, and ob-
tamed the appointment of a select committee on the
subject.
8. Mr. Hudson vindicated himself from a charge made
against him incidentally last night by Mr. T. Duncombe,
in his absence.
9. A discussion, at the instance of Lord Lyndhurst,
upon the consolidation of the statutes.
10. In the Lords a discussion arose on the Eastern
question, and the propriety of withdrawing the proposed
Reform Bill in the face of a threatened war. Lord J.
Russell brought in two bills directed against corrupt prac-
tices at elections. Mr. Baines brought in a bill to amend
the law of settlement and poor removal, which led to a
long and interesting debate.
1:1. The Leader of the House of Commons introduced
the new Reform Bill.
14. The Marquis of Clanricarde moved an address to
her Majesty for information respecting the cessation of
diplomatic relations with the Court of Bt. Petersburg. The
motion, though ultimately withdrawn, led to a long and
important debate, in which all the most prominent members
of their lordships' house took part.
N. The Lord Chancellor drew attention to the state of
the law relating to testamentary jurisdiction. The select
committee on the conduct of Irish members was nomi-
nated.
17. A debate in the Lords upon national education in
Ireland, which was raised by Earl Fitzwilliam, led to the
appointment of • select committee. Mr. Lavard called
attention to the state of the relations of this country with
Russia and Turkey : a long and animated debate followed,
and it was at length adjourned.
20. The adjourned debate was resumed by Mr. Cobden,
and closed with a speech from Lord Palmerston shortly
before two o'clock in the morning.
21. The Manchester and Salford Education Bill, the
second reading of which was moved by Mr. Adderley, was
rejected by 10.5 to 70.
23. The Lord Advocate brought in the Scotch Education
Bill.

24. A long debate occurred in the Lords upon a series
of resolutions with respect to the war which were moved
by Lord Beaumont, but were in the end withdrawn. The
army estimates went through committee in the Commons,
and several votes were agreed to in the naval estimates.
27. The Lord Chancellor brought in • bill to amend
proceedings in the courts of common law. The navy esti•
mates concluded in the Commons ; and several Ordnance
votes taken.
2s. Mr. T. Chambers obtained the appointment of a
select committee upon conventual and monastic institu
tious by a majority of 186 to 119.

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Mitten.
3. Lord J. Russell announced the postponement of the
second reading of the new Reform Bill until the 27th April
next.
8. The Chancellor of the Exchequer made his financial
statement.
7. The Coasting Trade Bill passed the House of Com-
mons amid general cheering.
N. Mr. L. King's Succession to Real Estates Bill was
lost on second reading by 203 to 82.
9. The questions of manning the navy, the Reform Bill,
and the sanitary condition of the country occupied the
Lords for several hours.
10. The Earl of Shaftesbury moved for papers relative to
the treatment of Christians in the East, which were pro-
mised by the Government.
13. A discussion in the Commons upon a speech by Sir
James Graham at a dinner at the Reform Club to Sir C.
Napier on the 7th inst. A debate ensued, on going into
committee of ways and means, upon the Greek insur-
rection in Turkey, which was introduced by Mr. M. Milnes.
The Mutiny Bill was read a third time and passed.
14. The Earl of Malmesbury drew attention to the sub-
ject of secrets alleged to have been communicated by the
Foreign-office to the press.
17. The same subject was again referred to in the Lords.
Lord J. Russell introduced his bill for the amendment of
the University of Oxford.
20. The income-tax resolution was agreed to.
2L A long debate took place in the Commons upon
bringing up the report of the resolution on the income tax,
which was initiated by Sir H. Willoughby.
27. A message from her Majesty to both houses an-
nounced the termination of friendly relations with the
Emperor of Russia.
28. A long debate, ultimately adjourned, took place in
the Commons upon the nomination of Mr. T. Chambers
of his proposed committee upon conventual and monastic
institutions.
29. In the Commons the Marquis of Blandford moved
the second reading of the Episcopal and Capitular Estates
Bill. The debate was adjourned, Sir W. Clay having
moved as an amendment that the bill be read a second
time this day six months.
30. Mr. Baines made a statement relative to his resig.
nation of the office of President of the Poor-law Board.
The Income-tax Bill was passed. Debate on nomination
of Mr. Chambers' committee resumed and again adjourned.
31. Debate in both houses on the address in reply to her
Majesty's message. It was moved in the Lords by the
Earl of Clarendon and in the Commons by Lord J. Russell,
and was agreed to without opposition.
APRIL.
3. Both houses assembled at two o'clock, and pro-
ceeded to the Palace, where they presented to the Queen
the address in answer to her Majesty's message. In the
evening her Majesty's gracious reply was announced.
4. Lord St. Leonard's, in moving for some returns,
brought under the consideration of the Lords the condition
of the wives and children of our soldiers in the East.
0. The Earl of Eglinton presented a petition from the
National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights.
On the motion of Mr. Moore a select committee was ap-
pointed to inquire into the circumstances of the appoint-
ment of Mr. H. Stonor to a judgeship in the colony of
Victoria. Mr. Cardwell brought in the Government bill
for the better regulation of the traffic upon railways and
canals.
7. Earl Grey, in a lengthened speech, brought forward
the important subject of the administration of the army.
The Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill was read a third time
in the Lords. After a long debate the Oxford University
Bill was read a second time in the Commons.
11. Parliament adjourned for the Easter holidays. In
the House of Commons, Lord John Russell, in moving the
adjournment, announced that it was not the intention of
the Government to proceed further with the Reform Bill.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, having laid the balance-
sheet for the year upon the table, made a financial state-
ment.
27. Parliament reassembled. The Earl of Ellenborough
put some questions relative to the landing of the British
troops at Gallipoli. After a long debate upon an amend-
ment of Mr. Heywood, the House of Commons went into
committee upon the Oxford University Bill.
20. An incidental discussion arose in the Commons upon
the Greek insurrection in Turkey.
MAY.
1. On the motion of Earl Granville, the Income-tax
Bill went through committee. The Oxford University Bill
in committee in the Commons.
2. The Income-tax Bill passed the Lords.
4. The Oxford University Bill proceeded with in com-
mittee
5. The operations in the Black Sea engaged the atten-
tion of the Lords for a short time. The supplemental
navy, army, and ordnance estimates were brought forward
and agreed to in the Commons ; and the Militia Bill went
through committee.
8. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved his finan-
cial retolutions in the committee of ways and means.
9. After considerable discussion, Lord Campbell's Un-
authorised Negotiations Bill was read a second time in the
Lords, and referred to a select committee. A motion by
Mr. Adderley, on the Orange River sovereignty, debated in
the Commons.
11. In the House of Lords, the Earl of Ellenhomngh
put some questions with respect to the army in Turkey.
The Oxford University Bill in committee in the Commons.
12. The Church Building Acts Amendment Bill went
through committee in the Lords. The second reading of
the Scotch Education Bill was defeated in the Commons
by 193 to 104. The Railway and Canal Traffic Regulation
Bill was read a third time.
15. The Excise Duties Bill (Malt Tax) was read a se-
cond time in the Commons, in spite of Mr. Cayley's amend-
ment, by a majority of 303 to 196.