The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-17 00:00:00

PRIVATE BILLS.

On the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON leave was given to
bring in several private bills.
The following bills were read a second time and
ordered to be committed : Airdrie Rural District
Police; Ashton-under-Lyne Gas and Water ; Basing-
stoke, Stockbridge, and Lobcomb Corner Roads ; Bir-
mingham Water ; Bogner Railway ; Cambridge Uni-
versity and Town Water ; Cardiff Improvement ;
Charlbury, Witney, &0., Road ; Colchester Stour
Valley,- Sudbury, and Halstead Railway ; Dun-
dalk and Enniskillen Railway ; Folkestone Im-
provement ; Folkestone Water ; Glasgow Water ; Glos-
sop Gas ; Gomersal and Dewsbury Road ; -Grand Junc-
tion Water ; Great Northern Railway (Increase of
Capital) ; Guildford and Farnham Road ; Heywood
Water ; Kilmarnock Gas ; Kingston-upon-Hull, Hessle,
and Ferriby Road ; Kingston-upon-Thames Improvement ;
Leominster and Ledbury Road ; Lightpill and Birdlip
Road ; London and Blackwall Railway ; London and
North Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways;
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Improvements ; Newport Gas j
Newtown and Oswestry Railway; North Yorkshire and
Cleveland Railway ; Osset Gas ; Peterborough and
Wellingborough Road ; Price's Patent Candle
Company ; Royal Conical Flour Mill Company ;
South Wales Mineral Railway; South Wales Railway
Gmsolidation ; Southwark and Vauxhall Water ;
Stouebriclge Gas ; Stroud, Cainscross, and Minchin-
hamptort Road ; Surbitoii Improvement ; Surrey Gas ;
Sunderland Dock ; Torquay, Tor, and Saint Mary
Church Gas ; Stalybridge Gas ; West Bromwich Im-
provement ; Woolwich Consumers Protective Gas.

ORDNANCE ESTIMATES.
Mr. WILSON brought up the Ordnance Estimates,
which were ordered to lie on the table.

PETITIONS.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir-
mingham, praying for the repeal of the Newspaper
Stamp.
Mr. MA.CGREGOrt presented a petition from Glas-
gow, praying for the vigorous prosecution of the war.
Mr. H. BERKLEY presented a similar petition from
Bristol, and praying for the re-establishment of the
kingdom of Poland ; also a petition from Bristol, pray-

ing for the repeal of the new Beer Act.
Mr. HORSFALL presented a petition from the
Liverpool Chamber of Commeree in favour of the Regis-
tration of Bills of Exchange Bill.
Sir H. HALFORD presented a large number of peti-
tions from Leicestershire and Derbyshire, praying the
honse to pass a bill to prevent the stoppage of wages in
the hosiery trade.
Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from the Cor-
poration of Manchester, praying for tho repeal of local
charges on shipping.

ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.—SIR E. LYONS.
The SPEAKER. acquainted the house that he had re-
ceived the following letters from Sir Edmund Lyons ac-
knowledging the vote of thanks of the house :
" Agamemnon, off Sebastopol, Jan. 30.
"Sir,—Having succeeded Vice-Admiral Dutndas in the
command of this station, the honour.has devolved upon me
of communicating to Roar-Admiral the Hen. Montagu
Stopford, and to the several captains, officers, seamen, and
marines in her Majesty's fleet" in the Black Sea the unani-
mous expression of the thanks and approbation of the
Howe of Commons for the services rendered by them dur-
ing the present war, and of communicating to them also
the unanimous acknowledgments 'of the distinguished va-
lour and conduct of those who have perished in the strug-
gle, and the deep sympathy felt for their relatives and
friends. All are deeply impressed with the honour con-
ferred upon them. All are encouraged in the performance
of their duty to their Queen and country, and the seamen
and marines more so, I believe, than on any former occa-
sion, for the blessing of education enables them to appre-
ciate better than their predecessors the thanks and appro-
bation of Parliament.

" I have the honour to be; air, with the highest respect
and regard, your most obedient and humble servant,

" Rear-Admiia‘lEa.nLd YCOomNmS
°ander-in-Chief."
" Agamemnon' Sebastopol, off Sebast Jan. 30.
"Sir, have the honour to transmit to yon herewith
a letter which I have received from Vice-Admiral a Bru t,
who has succeeded Admiral Hamelin in the command of
the French fleet, showing how highly the French navyf 1
honoured and gratified by the thanks of Parliament.ee
" I have the honour to be, sir, with
much respect and
regard, your most obedient and Minable servant,
E. LYONS,
" Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
" Vaisseau le Montebello, le 21 Janvier, 1855.
" ' Monsieur l'Amiral,—Je transmets anjourd'hui memo
aux equipages de l'Escadre do Ia Mediterranee lee re-
merciements publics qui leur ont ete votes par lee deux
Chamb. es eln Parliament d'Angleterre. C'est un honneur
insigne et rare qui lour est decerne. Jo l'accepte pour eux
et pour le digne chef qui les commandait au debut de cette
grand° expedition, comme une preciou llianc s° recompensetie
leurs services, commo le gage d'une ae plus intim
encore, et comae l'heureux augurs de nouveaux succes.
" Veuillez agreer, Monsieur l'Amiral, l'assnrance de
ma haute consideration,
" BRUAT,
" Le Vice-Amiral, Commandant ea Chef l'Eseadre
de la Mediterranee.
"2 To Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart., G.C.8.,
Commander-in-Chief, "
SUPPLY OF COFFEE IN THE CRIMEA.
Mr. BALL gave notice that on Monday next he should
ask the hon. member the Minister for War in that house,
whether the conduct of the person or persons responsible
for having issued unroasted coffee to the troops in the
Crimea had been followed by censure or dismissal.

SIR JAMES BROOKE.
Mr. DRUMMOND gave notice that on an early day
he should ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether
he bad any objection to lay upon the table of the house
the report of the Commissioner appointed to try Sir
•James Brooke for acts for which he had previously re-
ceived the approbation of the Government, and had
been rewarded by the Crown.
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR

- - - - - - -
Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice that on Thursday next
he should move the names of the committee for inquiring
into the conduct of the war in the Crimea, on which the
house had already determined. He would put the names
of the hon. gentlemen he should propose on the votes of
to-night. (Hear.)
THE CASE OF SERJEANT SULLIVAN.
Mr. FRENCH wished to ask the Government if
there were any reasons why Serjeant Sullivan, who car-
ried the colours of the 30th at the Alma, and had the
singular honour of being specially reported by the Gene-
ral in command of his division to Lord Raglan has not
been promoted ?

Lord PALMERSTON, in reply, said that a special
power had been given to Lord Raglan to recommend
for a commission a non-commissioned officer from each
regiment who was deserving of promotion, With re-
gard to the regiment to which Serjeant Sullivan be-
longed, Lord Raglan had recommended the Serjeant-
Major for promotion, and as one non-commissioned
officer in that regiment had therefore been elevated, no
commission could be given to any other non-commis-
sioned officer.
Mr. LA-YARD inquired whether the noble lord had
any objection to lay on the table the despatch of General
Evans, in which Serjeaut Sullivan's name was so hon-
ourably mentioned ? (Hear, hear.)
Lord PALMERSTON said he apprehended there
could be no objection to that, but he would let the hon.
member know on Monday.
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.

Colonel SISTITORP asked the law officers of the
Crown, whether, in consequence of the act passed 10th
Aug., 1854, c. 102, anno dechno septimo et octavo Vic-
toria-. Iteginw, intituled, "An Act to consolidate and
amend the laws relating to bribery, treating, and undue
ii,iluence at elections of members of Parliam.mt," there was
any prdhibition to a• candidate, who had hitherto exer-
cised whathedid consider a duty, by giving certain assist-
ance or relief to persons resident in or near the city
or which he represented, by the distribution of
coals and other articles of relief and assistance ; though
amongst these individuals so assisted and relieved there
are and may be some persons, more or less in number,
who have voted for, and may possibly continue to vote
for, such candidate or representative; and whether there