The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-13 00:00:00

"IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OP LORDlL—Tircruruy, JOLT 12.
Their lordships met at lin o'olss&.
THIRD BEADING&
The Great Northers mid Weans d hand Railway,
the West Bromwich and Walsall Railway, the Lynn and
Sutton Bridge, Spalding and Boars, and Norwich sod
Spalding Railway, and the Bray Im eat Bills, wt
read a third time aid
pared
THE LATE OOLLJBION IN THE OHANNKL.

The Earl of HARDWIC/CE said he had a'question to
arir of some importance, but he regretted that in the new
government there was no person in that house from whom
Le could expect en answer. During the administration of
the noble duke the late first lord of the admiralty a great
many experiments were made. The noble duke was
a great experimentalist, but the results of his expe-
riments were not known although they must be of course
el great importance to the country. The last experiment
was with round shot, at 200 yards distance, against a turret,
but whether eucceedul or not be could not say. But there
was another experiment which had been made for the noble
duke the other day, namely. as to the efficiency of the con-
struction called the Rainbow, which was intended to strike
ships, and to destroy them. The experiment was tried in
the Channel ; the result was terrible, but it was as bad
for the conqueror as the conquered, for the moment
sitar she destroyed the stricken ship she was
destroyed herself. This appeared to him sufficient to
direct the attention of government to this con-
struction of vesseL It was clear that either the prin-
ciple was wrong, and that reaction operated against the
striking vessel, or else that the carpentry of the Amazon
was so bad that when she separated from the other ship
the had a tarp hole in her bow, and sank immediately. It
was well, pe&ape, that this experiment had been made,
although it had led to the loss of life on one vessel, and of
the ships in both cases ; but if it had not taken place they
would never have known what description of vessel
they were having constructed, or what sort of carpentry
was being put in their new ships.
The Earl of ORKNEY said the commander of the
Amazon was well known to him, and he was quite sure
that he would have done everything possible to avoid the
destruction of life or property.
THE LAW OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AMEND-
MENT BILL.
This bill, with certain verbal amendments proposed by
Lord CRANWORTII, was reported.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (CHANCERY)
AMENDMENT BILL.
After some discussion,
Lord CRANWORTH expressed his readiness to with-
draw the bill, and the second reading was negatived
accordingly.
STATUTE LAW REVISION BILL
The order for the second reading of this bill was dia-
thaeged.
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL
BILL
On the order for the second readingof this bill,
The LORD CHANCELLOR suggested that as at this
period of the session:this bill could not receive the consi-
deration which its importance demanded, it should be
withdrawn.
Lord CRANWORTH weeded tolthis suggestion, and the
bill was withdrawn.
GLEBE LANDS (SCOTLAND) BILL
The select committee on this bill was nominated as fol-
lows:—The Duke of Richmond, the Duke of Buocleuch,
the Earl of Airlie, the Duke of Montrose, the Earl of &t-
-land, Lord Polwarth, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Rosebery,
Lord Kinnaird, the Earl of Belhaven, the Earl of Dal-
housie, and Lord Strathspey.
Their lordships rose at 25 minutes before 7.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

STAMFORD.

Yesterday, V isct. CRA NBOUN E, M.P. , in addressing
the electors, said a change of government did not. as usually
happened, imply, at least on a limited number of questions,
any great change of policy. He thought anybody who had
studied the course of politics during the last few years
would have observed that the field of controversy
had been very considerably narrowed. There were,
undoubtedly, still matters of difference between
those who sat on opposite sides of the House of
Commons, matters of deep and vital importance, which
must be fought out ; but many questions which were
formerly the subjects of contest were now matters of
agreement among those who might alternately be called to
the conduct of affairs in this country. I. or instance,
take the case of the colonies. In foreign affairs,
too, they observed the same convergence. They
were now in a most terrible crisis, and in England
they sympathised with those upon whom such sunerirg
had been brought, thimoh they could not forget that it
was because two powerful etstee combined to oppress a
weaker neighbour that this terrible visitation had been
brought upon them. (Cheers.) But be that as it may,
and whatever their sympathies might be, they had come
to the conclusion that it was not their duty to mark out
the position that the states of Europe should hold towards
each other. AU agreed that the first duty of
England was to look after the interest and up-
hold the honour of England ; and when that
duty was fully done they might repose in peace. (Ap-
plause.) It was only, then, upon home matters that any
real vital controversies at present existed ; and some of
these were matters which were indeed vital. For instance,
take the question of the Established Church. Some de-
sired to overthrow it altogether, but there were others—
and be believed an enormous majority, both in the House
of Commons and among those whom they represented—
who recognised all the blessings which the long oontin-
ance of that church had conferred upon these
islands, and desired to maintain her influence
and usefulness unimpaired ; and he thought if
those conflicts which existed upon church subjects—
those divisions of opinion which might be found even
among the beet friends of the church—were closely looked
into, they would be found to be divisions more upon ques-
tions of fact than upon questions of policy. Take es en
that which had been the sorest point in ecclesiastics' con-
tests—the question of church rates. If they looked into
the speedaes of those who spoke on either side they
would find that there was no difference of opinion as to
whether the churches ought to be kept up, but the dif-
ference was as to the fact whether, if church rates were
removed, they would be kept up or not. That was not a
question of policy which it was hopeless to accommodate,
but a question of fact which it was passible might some
dayfinieet with adjustment. The some thing might be
observed with regard to the question of parliamentary
reform.