The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-12 00:00:00

THE PRES 5, Jurts. 12) 1,858.

had received a despatch announcing that the King of
Naples had granted, and was ready to pay, an ample
compensation to the English engineers of the Cag-
liari, and had, n'oreover, placed that vessel and her
crew at the disposal of the Queen of England.
Under these arrangements the imprisoned sailors
had been released, and the vessel, under the com-
mand of her former captain, and manned by her
former crew, would be forthwith returned to Genoa.
In the negotiations which had resulted in this satis-
factory conclusion of a very troublesome controversy,
her Majesty's Ministers bad received the cordial co-
operation of France. If any wish for hostilities had
existed in any quarter, there were ample opportuni-
ties for lighting up the flame of war. Declaring that,
the Government were determined to maintain the
defence of the country in a state of efficiency, lie
repeated his assertion that in every quarter the state
of relationships between England and her foreign
allies was most promising for the unbroken preserva-
tion of peace.
After a few words from Mr. LINDSAY,
Mr. BRIGHT enlarged upon the inutility and extra-
vagance attending the attempts to place the country
in a complete state of defence. The whole system
was based on delusion, and led to a thriftless expen-
diture of public money. At present we spent twenty-
two millions on military and naval establishments,
but if twice that sum were expended it would still be
impossible to guard every point where invasion was
practicable. The alarm of invasion had been
periodically raised for the last fifty years, but, as it
appeared, only for tho purpose of obtaining assent
from the house and the public to a most unjustifiable
outlay on fleets and armies.
Sir C. Wood, Mr. Headlam, and Col. French having
offered some further remarks,
Sir J. PAKINGTON deprecated these allusions to
vague rumours of increased armaments abroad, the
only effect of which was to create alarm in this
country and irritation abroad. The gallant admiral
had underrated our means of defence, for at this
moment, if requisite, they could collect a channel
fleet fully equal to cope with any force which any
foreign power could send against them.
The subject then dropped.

INDIA.
The house having resolved itself into committee
resumed the discussion of the Indian Government
Resolutions, commencing at No. 3, which relates to
the number, &c., of the proposed Council for India.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL proposed that there should be
twelve councillors, each receiving a salary of 1,5001.
per annum, and not made ineligible to sit in Parlia-
ment.
Lord STANLEY consented to adopt fifteen as the
major limit to the number of the Council.
Various comments on these propositions and
further suggestions were offered by different members
during a discussion prolonged for some hours.
The committee ultimately divided, when there
appeared :
For Lord J. Russell's motion
Against

Majority for the Government .... 87
The number of councillors was then fixed at not
more than fifteen nor less than twelve.
The resolution as thus amended was then agreed to.
The next resolution (No. 4) was also passed, and
the chairman was ordered to report progress.
The house then resumed.
NEW CHELSEA BRIDGE.
Lord J. MANNERS moved the second reading of the
Chelsea Bridge Act Amendment Bill.
Mr. BLACKBURN objected to a measure which, as
he understood it, made the present of a large sum of
public money to the trustees of Chelsea New Bridge.
He moved an amendment, deferring the second read.
ing for six months.
Mr. ALcocx contended that by the sale of super.
fluous land around Battersea-park, pll debts would
be paid, and the objectionable toll at once abolished.
After much discussion the house divided on a
motion for adjourning the debate. The numbers
were—For, 139 ; against, 51. Majority, 88.
The debate then stood adjourned.
The house adjourned at a quarter tolone o'clock.

FROM GALWAY TO NEW YORK.—A second trial
trip of the steamship Indian Empire was made at
Southampton on Wednesday, with a distinguished
company on board, for a final test of engines and
speed preparatory to her first Transatlantic voyage
from Ireland to America. In passing the Govern-
ment measured ground in Stokes Bay the " knot," or
nautical mile of 2,026 yards,Was run in four minutes
forty-six seconds with sixteen and a half revolutions
per minute. The trial was considered eminently
satisfactory. The Indian Empire leaves Galway for
Halifax and New York on Friday, the 18th instant,
with passengers and the mails for Nova Scotia,
Canada, and the United States, being the first
steamer on a projected weekly line. The voyage
from Galway to Halifax is expected to be rite
"efght dsyt,
77. a b: f.