The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-05 00:00:00

NON-DEIJVERY OF LETTERS..

..„.. -
Mr. T. BUNCOMBE asks' the Secretary to the Treasury
whether a letter had been received by the ikeitniasterttene-
ral from the Secretary to the Ballot Society, complaining of
the son delivery of upwards of three hundred letters ad-
dressed to electors of the city of Ripon, and posted iu Lou-
don ; and whether there would be any objection to produce
any reportaor other communicative' niade to the Komi...sier-
t:ewe:4 on the subject.
Mr. F. I'EEL saki that a letter had been received hum
the Ballot Society stating that in December Lot letters w. re
sent by that society by post to all the elector's of Biles',
and that very few of thous letters were delivered. The
postmaster and the lettercarriers at Ripon denied posi-
tively that, any letters received there by them had heron
suppressed or that any such thing could have occurred. The
impactor at the jeet-office bad been in conimuukatiou with
the Ballot Society that very day, and he stated that the
assistant secretary lief the society informed him it
was on the occasion of a public meeting being
held at Ripon that certain persons stated that they bad not
received the letters in question, and therefore this sillies.
ties had been made. The Treasury had &eked the Ballot
Society for the name of any one person who had not received
his packet, but they had been unable to give it. He was,
therefore, warranted in saying that the letters had 0.4 been
ported, or if they were, that they had Lew delivered. It
should be borne in mind the complaint was nut made until
sus weeks after the letters were sent.
THE PASSPORT SYSTEM.

Mr. T. BUNCOMBE silted the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether her Mafesty's government had in-
vited. or intended to invite, the King of the Belgians to fol-
low the example of the Emperor of France by dispensing
with passports on the part of Eritish subjects visiting
Belgian'.
Lord J. RUSSELL--The answer I have to give is that
without any solicitation _oa our part there has been a
change made with regard to passports in Belgium. A des-
patch was received on the 4th of February from Lord
Howard de Walden, stating that new regulations bail been
made purporting to relieve persons travelling through
Belgium from the annoyance and trouble of giving peas-
poets • but that any persona remaining in Belgium axe still
niquiAil to ham some proof of their nationality.

OUR CHINA SQUALRON.
Yr. WARNER asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether it was true that • considerable naval force had been
directed to proceed to the Japanese waters ; and whether
meantime' had bees adopted to prevent any consul or
ether civil authority from commencing a war with Japan
without Warm-Mom from the government?
Lord PALMERSTON—I behove a part of the squadron
`the Chigoes seas will visit Japan, but not with a hos-
tile purpose or for the porpoises of war, hut for the purpose
of Or* that moral 'rapport to British authority which
many limp reader so desirable.

THE VACANT SEATS.
Mr. H. BENTINCI asked whether the Appropriation of
fleets Bill would be proceeded with meat Thursday. He
found it stood Met a the orders for that day.
Lord PALYEKSTON—We propose to go on with
supply on Thursday, either with the navy or the army
estimates.

Sir O. C. LEWIS mid that the Appropriation Bill would
M be takes on Thursday bat on Moeda; next.
L Miser to Sir J. PAM:SNOW,
Mr. WHITBREAD said that the Narcissus had sled for
the Gips of Good Hops, and so far as he was aware no
calms had ben said from the Admiralty to Main Sir
Baldwin Walker

CONSOLIDATED FUND AND EXCHEQUER BILLS

ACT'S:

The house having resolved itself into committee on these
acts.
The CHANCF.LLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to
move the following resolutions :
" 1. That it is the opinion of this committee that the
principal monies of Exchequer bills issued under the autho-
rity of parliament, together with the interest thereon,
which may become from time to time, shall be
charged upon and • out of the consolidated fund of the
Coiled Kingdom the growing produce thereof.
"2. That this lastest on such Exchequer bills shall
&rig tisk eervescy by law be payable hal/is/arty by
es”emksad shell be paid at the Bank of England.
as Me• .a shall be given at the expiration of
sash twelve aeeils to the holders of Exchequer bills to be
paid the priacipal monies of all Exchequer bills held by
these, and such principal monies when paid shall be paid to
the holders at the Bank of England and that all Ex-
chequer bills not so paid off from time to time shall have
currency for the next twelve mouths following the date of
such option.
"4. That. when each Exchequer bills shall be paid off,
the commissioners of her Majesty's treasury may oboe the
like amount of Exchequer bills to replace the Exchequer
bill. so paid off.
"5. That all Exchequer bill. shall be receivable for
duties xi-Anted to her Majesty during the last six months of
each year during which such bills shall have currency by
law."

The resolutions, ho said, were founded mainly upon re-
commendations of a select committee of that house, sod he
showed the inconveniences caused by the present cumbrous
mode of defiling with this part of the unfunded debt, con-
sisting of supply bills, and the interest which the
public, especially the commercial world, had in a
change of the Wig of these securities, and in a greater
stwiliness being imparted to their value. In
• very copious exposition of the effects of the proposed
chance he entered largely into points of detail, and.advert-
ing to a notice given by Si, H. Willoughby of an additional
resolution, prohibiting the commissioners jot the reduction
of the national debt from funding Exchequer bills without
tin prelims consent of parliament, he professed himself
friendly to its principle, but suggested that it should not be
connected with these resolutions.

Sir H. WlLLol.7GHBY,expreesing his cordial concur-
rence in the resolutions, consented to withdraw his amend-
ment, insisting, at the Name time, that the action of the
kot ernment upon the Exchequer bill market, totally un-
nown to the moneyed world, which had ocussionad a Inge
to the nation while it struck at the credit of Exchequer
hills. should be put an mud to, and all transactions in the
market shook! take place in the light of day.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHF:OTER having re-
plied to inquiries and objections, the resolutions were
agreed to.