The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-06 00:00:00

PENAL SERVITUDE BILL.

Sir G. GREY intiesefed hi intention of postponing this
bill from the llth to the 18th inst.
LISBURN ELECTION 00101TITEE.

The motion that Mr. Stirling be excused far not attending
the committee on the Lisburn election upon Tuesday, the
Shad of March, and that he be discharged from further
atteodanoe on the committee, the debate upon which wee
adjourned from Monday, we+ further discussed at consider-
able length. The opinions expressed with regard to the
meaning of the act of parliament and the power of the
committee to continue the Inquiry in the absence of one of
its members, were various and conflictiog ; bat, upon the
whole, the weight of the t appeared to be that,
whilst the nonvittandatios of . Stirling on the 22nd
having been duly reported to the house might be excused,
any subsequent action on the part of the committee in the
hoc. gentleman's absence mast be at their peril. Mr. Adair,
the chairman of the committee, stated, however, that they
were prepared to take the consequencee of prosecuting
their labours ; end ultimately the lust portion of the motion
was agreed to am. con.

DEPARTURE OF MAILS FROM SOUTHAMPTON.
Mr. BERKELEY asked the Uhanoellor of the Exchequer
whether it was the intention of the governmect to change
the port of departure of the mails from Southampton ; and
whether, since a committee of the house decided in favour
of Bristol as a pert of &won& but did not consider there
was sufficient accommoiWion for ships and paseeogers, and
those requirementa being now obtained by • projected
railway to Portishesd, the Bristol Port Railway, and the
projection of docke, a bill for which was before parliament,
he would take the ease of Bristol into consideration.
Mr. F. PEEL said there was no present intention of
changing the port of departure of any of the mail, which
now left Southampton. Is consequence of some memorials
which had been received inquiries were being made an to
what would be the advantage in point of time, and as to
what additional subsidy would have to be gives if the
West India mail packets which left Southampton
were required to call at some port more southeroly
than Southampton with the view of landing and
embarking mails. He imagined that Bristol, as a port of
cell for vessels stetting from Southampton, would be un-
suited. As to its being available as a port of departure,
when any contracts had to be renewed the government
would he unfettered with regard to the acceptance of encase
on that subject, and such an offer would of course be taken
into consideration.
SEIZURE OF THE SAXON.
Oolouel SYKES hiked the Duda Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether he could give any Information to
the house of the results of the reference to the Americas
government respecting the seizure of the Saxon, and the
conduct of Lieutenant Donoghue.
Mr. LA YARD, in answer to the hon. and gallaot member,
begged to state that from her Majesty's consul at New
York they had learnt that the judge of the district court
had decreed that the Saxon and her cargo should be deli-
vered up to their respective owners with all costa, charges,
and expenses, reserving for futureconsideration the question
of seizure and the forcible seizure. That was the only in-
formation they had. With regard to Lieutenant Donoahne,
he believed he would be tried ; but he did not meetly know
under what airtumetanee&