The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-04 00:00:00

MERTON COLLEGE ESTATE BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
Mr. HADFIELD presented, petitions from a total
abstinence society in favour of the Beer Act of last
session.

-v
Mr. presented a petition from Ina**
burn against the Accidents on Railways Bill.
SUPPLY.
Mr. FITZROY brought up the report of the Qom*
mittee of supply.

Sir F. BKRING objected to the proposition for re.
tired allowances, considering them far too large, and
totally uncalled for. It was true that many officers had
done great service, but he could not see the neceeetty of '
rewarding them so liberally.

Sir D.-NORREYS considered the proposition. for re-
tired allowances totally uncalled for, and one whiel4 never
ought to receive the sanction of Parliament.

Mr. MACARTNEY deprecated the unjust way in
which retiring allowances were made ; men that had
performed perhaps some of the most important offices of
the State were rewarded by the mere nominal allow-
ance, while others who had done little or nothing for the
good of the country were rewarded far beyond their
deserts. These were facts that gave great disec,nlceat to
the country, and was calculated to bring any MC inistry
that supported them into contempt. He was in. hopes
that in another session the right hon. bart the mew ber for
Portsmouth would bring forward some specific m easnre
on this important subject.
Mr. WILSON defended the Treasury minute, believ-
ing that it had not been made without due considera-
tion as to the operation of the Superannuation A ct. It
only applied to persons who were incapacitated by age
or ill health for performing their duty. All that had
taken place had been done with the full authority of an
Act of Parliament, with a large consideration kOr the
public interest. By the payment to the parties o' about
£2,000, upwards of £ll,OOO would be saved- to the
public.

Mr. F. FRENCH contended that gross injustice had
been done to many parties, which ought to be rev aedied.
The proposition was then agreed to.
Some other objections were made to the bring ing up
of the report, which, after some discussion, were with-
drawn.

The report was then agreed to, and the house went
into committee on

THE LUNATICS ASYLUM (IRELAND
ADVANCES) BILL.

On clause 1,
Colonel DUNNE moved an amendment to the effect
that a certified copy of the returns to the governors of
such asylum shall be sent to the grand jury of
each of the associated counties connected with the
asylum, and if any difference arose as to the cost of the
erection, enlargement, or construction, itc., of such
buildings to be referred to the Lord-Lieutenant, who
shall appoint a commission unconnected with this Board
of Works to examine and report thereon. He corn plained
of questions of this importance being brought for,fard at
so late a period of the session that it could not be pro-
perly discussed, and when most of the Irish members
had left.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had no objection to the first portion of the amendment,
but considered the latter uncalled for.

Mr. M'CARTNEY supported the amendment.
Mr. F. FRENCH hoped the hon. and gallant gentle
man would not press his amendment. He thought the
words, " not connected with the Board of Works"
tended to cast a slur on that department.
The amendment was withdrawn, but ultimately the
first portion of the amendment was agreed to, and the
clause amended.
On clause 6,

Colonel DUNNE moved another amendment, to the
effect that the commissioners for this act should not be
the Commissioners of the Board of Works, but ulti-
mately withdrew it.
The other clauses of the bill were agreed to, and the
bill passed through committee.
NAVIGATION WORKS (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill, after a short discussion, passed through
committee, and was ordered to be reported; the pream-
ble, however, being postponed.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT (1850 CONTINUANCE,

&0., BILL.
This bill &so passed through committee.
DISEASES PREVENTION BILL.
This bill went through committee.
ORDNANCE BOARD BILL.
This bill also went through committee.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and it
being 10 mi❑utes to four the house resumed.

Sir B. HALL said he would bring on the third read.
ing of his Public Health Bill to-morrow (Saturday), at
one o'clock.
The house afterwards adjourned until Eli o'clock.

The house resumed at six o'clock.
Mr. A. PELLATT presented a !petition from South•
wark, praying for an alteration in the Charitable Trusts

Act.

Mr. COBDEN and Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions
from different parts of Lancashire, complaining of
spiritual destitution in those districts.

QUESTIONS.
Lord R. GROSVENOR asked the Under Secretary
for War whether the distribution of the medals to the re-

latives of the soldiers who had fallen in the present war
was to be delayed to some indefinite period ?
Mr, PEEL said when the medals were obtained from
the Mint they would be sent from the War Office to the

parties.
Col. FREESTUN asked the Under Secretary for
War whether it was the intention of the Government, in
compliance with the report of the Arctic expedition com-
mittee, to recommend that her Majesty would be graci-
ously pleased to grant a decoration to the officers and
men employed in that expedition ?
Sir C. WOOD said he had not seen the report, though
he believed it was printed, and he did not, therefore,
know what was the recommendation of the committee.
Lord R. GROSVENOR asked the Solicitor-General
whether it was his intention to go on with the Leases
and Sales of Settled Estates Bill this session ?
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said it was his inters

tion, and he hoped the bill would pass.
Sir C. WOOD then explained, in reference to certain
words attributed to him in connection with the subject
brought forward by the hon. and gallant officer opposite
(Admiral Walcott) the other night.
Colonel DUNNE asked if there would be any objec-
tion to officers of marines being appointed to the Tur-
kish contingent'?
Sir C. WOOD said there was a great objection to the
appointment of officers already on active service.
Mr. GIBSON had seen in the papers, that about the
latter end of May or the beginning of June Admiral
Dundas, in command in the Baltic, had issued a procla-
mation, stating that the instructions were to capture
merchant vessels, the property of Russia, carrying on
trade in the Gulf of Finland, and that when these vessels
appeared to be of small value the cruisers were to
m He de-
stroy
the. wished to know, wascompetent
the executive government to direct an admiral to
decide for
upon the property of a ship, and whether that decision
shonlci not rather be left to a court of competent juris-
diction ? His second question was, whether any com-
munication bad been made by the Government of the
United States to her Majesty's Government on the
paragraph in the Message of the President declaring that
free ships made free goods , and whether a convention
to exempt private propm.t yfrom seizure had been
mooted, or was under consideration `?
Sir C. WOOD said that Admiral Dundas had a die-
cretionary power to capture or destroy all Russian
vessels, large or small, in the Baltic.
In reply to a question from Mr. Briarcr,
Lord PALMERSTON said that the papers connected
with the recent unfortunate transactions on the coast of
Africa were in the hands of the printer, but the Govern
meat had not as yet been able fully to examine them.
Colonel NORTH called attention to the fact that on
Thursday two soldiers in uniform had been refused
admission to the strangers' gallery of the House of
Commons.
Lord PALMERSTON regretted the occurrence, and
asked the Speaker if there was any standing order which
excluded soldiers in uniform from the house.
The SPEAKER said there was no such order, but a
tacit understanding appeared to prevail that soldiers in
uniform should not be admitted. He saw no reason
why they should be excluded so long as they were
unarmed. (Cheers.)
Mr. STAFFORD hoped it was to be understood that
henceforth they would be admitted unarmed. (Cheers.)
WAYS AND MEANS.—AUSTRALIAN STEAM
COMMUNICATION.

On the question that the report of the committee of
ways and means be brought up,
Sir J. PAKINGTON rose to ask the Secretary of the
Treasury whether any arrangements had yet been en-
tered into by her Majesty's Government for renewing
steam postal communication with the Australian col°•
Lies; and whether any and what answer had been given
by her Majesty's Government to the address from the
Legislative Council of Victoria, in which they offered,
on the part of that colony, to contribute 50,000/. per an-
num towards the cost of steam communication with
England ? He had put a question as to these papers to
the noble lord the member for London ; but the noble

ord said he had not been able to make himself master of
their contents for want of time.

Lord J. RUSSELL had said the papers had only just
reached him.

Sir J. PABINGTON—One of these papers was a
circular eespatch, addressed by Sir W. Denison, the
Governor-General, to the other Australian colonies,
reposing that they should subscribe 100,0001. to obtain
team communication. Another was an address of the
Legislative Council of Victoria, stating that that colony
was ready to pay 50,0001. a year towards the expense of
renewed steam communication. He (Sir J. Pakington),
therefore, wished to know what the Government were
doing in the matter, and how soon steam communication
to Australia would be resumed ? Also, what answer
had been sent by the Government to the offer of the
colonists ?
Mr. 'WILSON said there was no direct offer from
Victoria with regard to the sum proposed by the Legis-
lative Council. There was the circular of Sir W. Denison
to the other colonies. The proposal of the Legislative
Council of Victoria was, that the Government should
give 60,0001., and they woad give 40,0001., to carry out
renewed steam communication. The only other paper
was an enclosure containing the resolution of the Legis-
lative Assembly, which had been sent to Sir W. Denison,
stating they were ready to give 50,0001., on condition
that the communication should be overland via the
Ceylon route. There was, however, no distinct offer,
and, therefore, there was no reply. The whole of the
papers had been sant to the Postmaster General for his
consideration, with the view of coming to an understand-
ing on the subject. In the meantime arrangements were
making in this country on the subject. Communica-
tions with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, which
had been suspended, were revived, and they were called
upon to send in an estimate. An offer was made to
perform the service for 80,0001., and that communica-
tion rested with the Postmaster General ; and as soon
as anything was determined upon no time would be lost
in communicatinz with the Colonial Office.
Mr. F. FRENCH wished to ask if it was intended to
make any change in the consuiar departments in the
Levant !

Viscount PALMERSTON replied that no intention
at present existed to make any change. Communications
bad been received from Sir J. M'Neil to the effect that
the consular establishments were in a state of complete
efficiency, and all parties actuated by due zeal in the
discharge of their public duties.
The report of the committee of supply was agreed to.
The Appropriation Bill was brought in and read a
first time amid much cheering.