The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-01 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLLiiiirat A.
, • . •,. • eastl", ftb..Met
~, ‘..1.* \ei1"4.4".• •• • .4130USIC OF LORDS. —THURsDAY, Aran, 30.
1,... • ' -lel
' ; •'.' Ilea,fo,lll ..; The Low) Cooticsunli took his Dint ea the woolsack
POLAND.
. .'. , • allii:i. '''' a • The Berl of SHAFTESBURY gave notice that in oomph-
„, •s- v '.` ol am* with a suggestion made to him by the noble Earl (Rue
sail), be would postpone the presentation of a petition ea
. . the 'abject of Nailed until the Bth of May.
. e. tit a
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and posed :--
Csisidenian Railway (Bredisholm Deviation): ficarhormiSh
•f Water ; Inverness and Aberdeen Juaction Railway ; Cleve
hied Railway, and Rugby Wster Bills.
THE PETERHOFF.
Earl RUSSELL roes and said that as the question of the
mere of the Peterhof! and the detention of her Mo-
jeity's mails had base recently the subject of diactusicas in
their lordships' home, it might be convenient to their lord-
ships that he should state the substance of the information
be had that day received from Lord Lyons. Lord Lyons
Mated that in answer to his application Mr. Seward bad in-
humed him that with regard to the vessel and her cargo,
VW government of the United States had determined not
te redeem them, but to send them before a prim court;
bat with regard to the mails, be wished him to inform her
Majesty's Postmaster-General that, in conformity with his
baler of the 31st of October, the mail would he forwarded
to its destination. He also stated that in every similar came
the mans course would be adopted, until some arrangement
bed been arrived at between her M ajesty's government and
the government of the United States on the question. Mr.
award mid he did not think that the law of nations laid
down any decisive or clear rule with regard to the somewhat
meal practice of sending mail bags in private ships ; and
thmsfore he wished to make a communication to her
Nareety's government on the subject at some future day.
Lord CHELMSFORD asked whether in every cue it was
Ps Memnon that the mail bag should be forwarded to its
de•Meation without the seal being broken !
Marl RUSSELL was undesatood to reply in the affirma-
tive.
DRAINAGE OF LAND (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read a third time and pared.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS BILL.
Red R USSELL moved the second reading of this bill.
Lord REDESD ALE called attention to the circumstance
Met the bill contained a provision that the House of Com-
mas might suspend the passing of a writ for five yen& •
peonies which be thought uncoestitatiorsi.
Led LYVEDEN objected to the clause which threw the
asp acs of en election inquiry upon the inhabitants of a
glass, as if the respectable portion of a community bad any
meted over the rascally portion. The provision was an
abword one. The bill omitted the disqualification, contained
iatemer acts, of attorneys and agents as electors. As
this kill stood this was the only instance of licensed bribery
ill Illnitence. (Hear, hear.) For a fee of five or ten
gams a man might be retained as agent,
ad thus his vote KOCUJed. AS the law also stood
et
pearent, the whole management of an election coal-
mines was left to the two parties interested. There was
no public p~rweesaccutor—no one to prosecute except the de-
bated .te i the uoseated candidate, in consequence,
pit as social pomtion. If there was any sincerity in the
desire to put down bribery, it was easy to do it.
Eihrd W himself been is eleven contested elections ; the first
basest him 4,0001., the last only VW, a result which he
aliminted to the vigour and determination employed by his
mismiliess.
Mks stew words from the Earl of Viractsv,
Mil GREY said be thought this bill was one of the most
aim* pima et legislation ever promoted to pediment. It
um anterior that the employment of sgsnts wee a common
alb et bribery in disguise. Fees were paid to agents
am harpy for the expenses of the election, really io order
inahlain their votes. He thought the principle of rating
tie IMehibults of a place to pay for the menages of as
dentin petit on was a grimly nejuat nee. His own feeling
use Men bribery was sot to be pat down by say legislative
memesni. If one sat of soft desired to give bribes, aad
mother OA desired to take them, it was quite impossible by
ging meetoients to prevent them from carryuig their
Mies Ito effect. The only way to put down bribery was
le oselid public opinion against it, and to make such
someemeate as should diminish as much as peeinge the
egnMaities for practising it.
RUSSELL said that to put down bribery was no
ilhebta very difficult thing. But the proceedings of eon-
ROMs of the House of Commons had succeeded in putting
snip to bribery in some instances ; and the penalties no
ilmilateperated m• check mire the practice. With regard
In Se role dierpudifying paid spate from mho', it was
Issed that ao enactment was so sadly evaded as this.
Ms bill was thee rand a mooed time.
HARM (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read • eserndlime.
ittcLostrzs BILL,
Ibis bill also was nod a second time.
THE FORTS AT MPITHEAD.
the Earl ef HARDW MKS said that in 1861 a considers-
Me men was voted for the purpose d • the heti-
ameines and dehisces of the United sampt
ease wean that were begun was me d peat i
gni metHese at Spithead ; but after a large sum bad
m
impended upon it, sad he believed its foundation had been
I:ta difference of minim arose in the public sited
eed the government to suspend operation& Be
lei therefore to draw the attention of the government to
TM of resuming the works at that place ; hut he
that the fort should be placed on the Brambles,
wive equidistant from the mouth of Southampton
..n.a.,
Illies and Come, a mad paition, is fact, from which
Om pm would reedk the shore on all sides. (Hear hear.)
Ss
Duke of SWUM= said that the worts which had
lame meetimed by parliament were contained in the
mbeeele appended to 's bill peeled last session, after a great
dal of disunite, in the House of Commons. Thom to
tibia the ache earl had referred had not been almadoned,
led 'lay mermaid. It was thought best, as there was a
dlilmeece of melee on the subject, logo on with the ether
web sad to leave these for further consideration. The
eau expended on them up to the 31st of Jul), 1882, was I
aft 80,0001. No doubt, something had since been laid out
ea lima, but the whole sum wee not so large its the noble earl
mined to thick. With regard to Ms affair at Charleston,
ii was a very curious thing, but if the Americans had
Iliad to try the experiment for us, they could not have
dm it more exactly. The distance, between Fort Sumter
ned Fort Moultrie was 2,000 yards, which was also the dia-
ller* between oar batteries. In both cases there wee •
CLcurvet, and is both there ware certain fuel-
working within a certain inhume of the forts. Is
Leh rem the same kinds of obstsectima by fishing ads
ad ropes, which would foul the screws of steam venal&
mold be practised. As regarded the vessels employed by
ors Fedoras, be must admit that the experiment had net
bees so astisfactor y . Fourteen months ego we were told by
the Americana the& they had built the Moaner man adm
ties to the British Admiralty, hot it bad proved in
a miming to them, for the first time it encountered Plea
. seait west to the bottom. They had built 110M11 more
Mmitors. and they likewise had failed io the first experi-
ment which had been made of them. The attack, there-
fees, would have beau more interestiog to um if they had had
• Meager description of vessel. We still required to know
Me deseriptice of gum that were employed, the quantity of
rerused, and several other important particulars Mating
ftatfair. Still it was clear that the Federalsquaroe had
been completely defeated, aod that the victory remised
elesidedly in favour of the forts. The mid* earl me
ewer that no money could be devoted at preset to Spitheed.
At the same time the large expenditure which bad occurred
wish regard to other works would render it necemery for
the government. in a few days, to come before the ether
hems with a scheme ; and it was very desirable thea Use
meter should be decided as early as possible, so sa not to
Are the summer.
The Earl of DERBY had anderst3od that the aid
isjery to the Federal yawls bad been inflicted after they
lima metered the harbour, sad had thus exposed themselves
le the concentric fire of batteries at a distance of 300 or
d
11.tke of SOMERSET thought, as far as be could
poke metro= the chart,that they were about 600 yards from
Part Bomber. The other forts would be much further off.
Marl GREY maenad that Charleston was at a meek
=distance fromthe batteries than Portsmouth was
ars. lt might then be parable to shell Portsmouth
esteithsteeding the fire of the forts.
The Duke of SOMERSET said it would be very disagree-
able to bombard the town while under the fire of forts at
1110 yards.
Their lerdships ram at five minutes before six.

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110IISKOF COMMONEL—Tar eaDAy, APRIL 30.
The Berauat took the chair a* 4 o'clock.
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PRIVATE BITSINE:3B.
lln Landow, Tilbwiy, sad Pwathaod Railway Bill, sad
Ow lientsy Docka and Harbour Beard Bill wan read •
OM ties.

NAVAL BARIUM&
L. ADDINOTON asked the Secretary to the Med-
ea, whether is the real barracks now buildiog, and
egad to be built at the different dockyards, provision wtjl
L anode for the accommodation of the wives and children
itimllom is the same manner as exists at present for the
Immlikes of soldiers is military bursas
• Lied C. PAGET said thit was a question which the
Admiedtmr bad eonsidemd, and they bad come to the con-
linden tint at the present moment it would not be advisable
be meetruct naval barracks with • view to the aomeamode.
lie of the wive; and families of sailors. The fact wet that
• ' acrd berm*. were cm a totally different footing from min.
I bey barracks. In military barracks the wives and families
en mf soldiers marched out of one barracks to another, bet
Imam Were in barracks merely fora abort time, and if the
tins and families were accommodated, when the sailors
Mel to me them wives and families would have to be
tsar* out without any shelter. A very peat inconveniestee
meal thus be created, end it wee set therefore proposed
lig fie Admiralty that aey prevision should be made for the
mosummodatioo of the wires and families of
111 r. ADDINGTON wished to know whether it was is.
let
eek* say provision for the instruction of the
bee eg.I'AGIT said that if the Admiralty saw their way
for that purpose they would willingly ietr:iseast ttkey were sot prepared to propose
ampubsomma sobjon.