The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-21 00:00:00

TEE EXPRESS, S iTURDAY EVENING, JULY 21, 1860.

FOREIGN RAGS.

Mr. PULLER wished to ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, whether her Majesty's government had
succeeded in obtaining from any of the continental govern.
merits the abolition or modification of the taxes or restric-
tions imposed by them on the export of rags: whether it
were true that the French government had abandoned its pro-
ject of substituting • duty on the export of rags for the pro-
hibition which now exists; and, whether any communica-
tion had been received from the French government, claim-
ing that, under the recent treaty of commerce, the cus-
toms
thed dug. on French paper imported into this country be
chmini
Lord J. RUSSELL said with regard to the first question
that he had represented to foreign governmeote that it was
the desire of her Majesty's government that there should be
a change made with regard to the export of rags—that where
there was prohibition it should be done away with, and that
where there was a high duty it should be modified. He
was sorry to say that these representations had not been
successful. Some of these governments said they would
consider the matter ; but many said that the
paper manufacturers objected to any diminution
of the duty on the export of rags. Such was
the answer they received from Austria, Prussia, and other
powers. With regard to the second question the French
government proposed to change the system of prohibition,
and a proposition had been made to the legislative body to
that effect, but he understood, although the government
bad received no official information to that effect, that great
opposition was made to that project, and the French go-
vernment having great doubts whether they would be
able to carry it, it was not at all certain that they
would persist in that project. With mud to the third
question, he had only to say that the French government
had made no communication on the subject ; they made no
demand of the kind ; sad this being a matter of faith and
treaty, this government would comply with the obligations
of the treaty. (Hear, bear.)

THE CASE OF MARY HIGGINS.
Captain JERVIS wished to ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, whether Mary Higgins, a petitioner
to that house for redress, on aooount of having been un-
justly prosecuted by the Mint on the 18th day of June last,
at Liverpool, could not obtain such redress from the Mint
authorities

PRINTING OF THE BIBLE.
Mr. BAINES said before the right honourable gen-
tleman answered the last question, he desired to
ask whether it was the intention of the govern.
ment to take any masers to carry out the recom-
mendation of the Select Committee on the Queen's Printers'
Patent, namely, "that the patent of the Queen's printers,
so far as relates to the printing of Bibles and New Testa-
ments, be not renewed, and thst no exclusive privilege of
printing the sacred volume be allowed henceforth to mot"
Mr. DUNLOP said that in Scotland every person who
gave carlain securities could publish the Scriptures, but the
sheets, as they
ere printed, ware subject to a very strict
reviskellir G. a sLSWIS said he understood that the facts of the
case referred to by the hon. and gallant member for Har-
wich were as follows :—A shopkeeper made a complaint be-
fore a magistrate that a woman who had made a ?urchin at
his shop had offered some bad money. The charge was
heard, and the policeman and shopkeeper deposed to the
money being spurious. Upon that evidence the woman was
committed for trial. There was no representative of the
Mint on that occasion, and when the matter was subse.
quently reported to the authorities of the Mint, they raid
it was very singular that all the five or six pieces of coin
found on the prisoner were from different dies, as it gene-
rally happened that the coins found on persons guilty of
rain load money were from one die; but this cir-
ertunsisnos did not give rise to any further in-
vestigstion. When the case came on for trial
the Aker of the Mint was shown the money, and he im-
mediately pronounced the whole of it to be good, and the
wawa was accordingly acquitted. The regular course in
soak instances, he believed, had been pursued by the au-
thorities ; but sa this was a hard case for the poor woman,
be would, as soon as he had received the necessary explana-
tions, make some arrangen.enta fur giving her compensa.
dem With regard to the other question which had been
pet to himAespecting the printing of the Bible by the
tan'ti printer—in the first place, he had to state that the
government, considering the extreme cheapness and the
mat variety of editions of the Bible and of the Common
Prayer Book published in this country, hail come to the
conclusion that, in fact, the Bible was printed as cheaply
under the present system as it would be if the printing of
it were thrown open to the public. (Hear, hear.) He ob-
jected to the word " monopoly " being used in the sense in
which his hoc. friend had employed it, because practically
there was a very active competition in the printing of the
Bible and Common Prayer Book, namely, between the
Queen's printer and the two universities ; and,
after examining the question dispassionately, it really
appeared to him that it was impossible that
they could be published more cheaply and conveniently
than they were at present. (Cheers.) He thought that
the recommendation of the committee would not be gene-
rally approved of by the community, inasmuch as a ;con-
viction prevailed that it would not be desirable to make
the printing of the Bible perfectly free, and to remove from
it any control on the part of the public. (Hear, hear.)
In Sootland there was not a single sheet of the Bible
allowed to be issued until it was revised and sanctioned by
a board paid by the public. In England they avoided
all nacessity for such a paid Bible board by
the economical and effectual contrivance of limiting the
tight
aicirf printing to the two universities and the Queen's
. But that right only applied to the authorised
editions tithe Bible; all othereditione- -such for indictees,
those is Greek, Hebrew, or with notes or illustmticers,could
be printed by any person without restriction. With regard
to the printing of Bibles in Scotland, and their importation
into England, if the Queen's printer allowed that practice,
which was a violation of his patent, to be adopted he had a
perfect right to do so ; but if he attempted, as he could do,
by an injunction at the Court of Chancery, to prevent those
Bibles being supplied, it would be fur the government to con•
eider whether they should interfere and alter the terms of
IDS patent.

ORANGE FLAGS IN IRELAND.
Mr. COGAN rose to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether the government had received information that
from the let to the 12th of July Orange flags had been
flying from the towers and steeples of a great number of
churches in the North of Ireland • and if so, whether
government intended topropese any lgislative enactment to
further reetrein the WAS:: exhibition of party banners and
flap in Ireland ; and to call the attention of the house to
I the dated the North of belied.
Mr. DAWSON mid he had lived in the north of Ire-
' land several years, end he must say that secret societies
I were the curie al the country.
Mr. CARDWELL thought it would be well that this
discussion should not be protracted after that dispassiocate
statement of the hon. member for Kildare, and the candid
speech of his hon. friend who had just sat down. He was
sure that whoever was entrusted with the reins of power
would hear with the deepest repel the occurrence* which
had recently taken place in the north of !mimed, and they
would hear with the greatest latisfaction thrt it was the
general opinion that the time had come when these societies
should be dissolved, and that the people should become •
united and loyal people. Last year they had the satisfac-
tion of knowing that the ansovereary of July bad passed
over in the moot satisfactory manner in the whole of Ireland.
This year he had hoped that it would pas over in the
same manner, but at Armagh there had been riots on the
brinier/ up of 4$ persons to be tried at the mains, and
there had been these lamentable riots at Lurgan ; and he
had before him a long list of churches where flags and
emblems were hoisted. There were two causes of these dia.
turbarces. Ooe, and the main cause' was a social data,
which it was the duty of every one who had intluenoe to put
down by moral means an far as possible. But there was
also a defective state of the law, which it was the duty of
government to remedy. That course they intended to take
even in the short period that TIM/Dell of this session. Tho
district to which the Mai. member for Kildare had alluded
was put under proclamation at the time, and the town of
Lurgan would be immediately put under proclamation.
Nothing could exceed the seal of the magistrates at
Lumen in their endeavours to bring the offenders to bean.
He could not but believe that in times liko those is which
we lived, the temperate observations of gentlemen on
both aides of that house would have a good effect on the
community.
The remainder of the list of miscellaneous questions was
disposed of, and the ad)ournment to Monday was agreed to
at '2O minutes past 11 u clock.
Lord PALMERSTON gave notice that on Manley he
would move a resolution to make provision out of the Con-
solidated Fund for furtiticatMcs and defences of the
country.
Mr. CARDWELL moved the second reading of the May.
Booth College Bill, the object of which is to make provision
for the repair of the college.
Mr. SPOONER moved the rejection of the bill.
On • division the second reading was carried by 1:15
to 57.

On the order for going into committee upon the Militia
Bill,
Colonel Gilpin, Sir J. Ferguson", and Colonel Rowley
offered suggestions os the subleet of the militia.
Colonel DUNNE opposed the bill,aad 1110V.Xi the adjourn-
ment of the debate. . . . . . .

-11r.H . promised not to lose sight of the bug-
L
'wimp. He resieteal the motion fur adjournment, which
was negatived.

The house went into committee, tut the chairman was
ordered to report progress.
Other bills were advanced a stage.
SUPPLY.

Sir C. NAPIER opposed the vote of 12,000/. for retiring
allowances for officers of the navy, as insufficient, and aa
not being satisfactory to any of the parties for whom it was
intended. _ .

W Admiral
WALCOTT did not approve of the proposed ar-
rangement, although he believed it had been introduced
by the noble lord with the best intentions.
The question wag then put and agreed to, Sir C. Napier,
to the great amusement of the house, milling out with some
emphasis, "The ayes have it."
INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM (SCOTLAND) BILL.
This bill passed through committee, was read &third time,
and pissed.
ARMY (GENERAL OFFICERS).
Colonel LINDSAY nominated the Wert committee on
army (general officers) :--Cokeel Lindsay, Mr. Secretary
Herbert, Mr. E. Egerton, Sir W. Russell, Mr. Dawson, Mr.
Headier°, Colonel North, Mr. Peal, Mr. Cave, Sir J. Rams.
den. Mr. Mowbray, Captain Esmond% Sir J. Ferguson, Sir
Francis Goldemid, and Lard W. Graham.
METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE (DOCKYARDS).
Lord C. PAGET obtained leave to bring in a bill for the
employment of the metropolitan police force in her Ma.
JeitY's Yards.
LEASES CONFIRMATION (IRELAND).
Mr. BUTT obtained leave to bring in a bill for the coo.
firmation of leases made under powers in Ireland.
The house rose at hall•pest two.