The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-21 00:00:00

POLAND AND HUNGARY,

Lord W. GRAHAM asked the First Lord of the
Treasury whether the Austrian Ambassador had called
upon Lord Clarendon for any explanation of the words
stated to have been used by a member of the Administra-
tion, that "no settlement of the Eastern Question would
be satisfactory unless Hungary and Poland wer, re-
stored."

Lord PALMERSTON said, in regard to the member
of the Administration to whom the noble lord refers, I
merely wish to say that it has afforded me great
satisfaction that that hon. friend of mine has ac-
cepted office under the Crown, and that I have a
most confident expectation that the great natural ability
and remarkable energy of his character ' will render
him an ornament to the public service—(cheere)—
and enable him,to do honour to the memorrof his illus-
trious father. (Cheers.) As to that part of the qUes-
tion of the noble lord which refers to the policy of the
Government, I am quite prepared to give him the fullest
explanation. (Cheers.) Well, then, the Austrian
Government have all along known that the Govern-
ment of Great Britain would consider it a misfortune
for Europe if Hungary were separated from the
Austrian Empire, because they consider the exist-
ence of the Austrian Empire in the aggregate in the
centre of Europe to be an essential element in the bal-
ance of power. (Hear, hear.) The Austrian Govern.
ment have no doubt as to the policy to be pursued by her
Majesty's Government with regard to that. With regard
to Poland I have no hesitation in stating my own opinion
to be that the present position of the kingdom of Po-
land is a standing menace to Germany, and it is for the
powers of Germany to determine how far they may t the present constitution to be or not dangerous to
them, and whether under the circumstances, which may
lead them into war with Russia, they would think it
for their interest to endeavour to 'end that position of
affairs; but undoubtedly no stipulation in regard to any
new arrangement of Poland formed part of these points
upon which her Majesty's Government are now, in con-
cert with the Government of France, negotiating at
Vienna. That negotiation was being carried on upon
the basis of the Four Points, which are well known to
everybody ; but the Governments have reserved to them-
selves the right, according to circumstances and the
events of the war, to aid in future to the
Four Points any other stipulation which they
may think essential for the future security of
Europe, but at present the negotiations were going on
upon the Four Points. That is the policy of the Go-
vernment in regard to the negotiations. (Hear, hear.)
Lord W. GRAHAM submitted to the noble lord that
lie had not answered his question.
Lord PALMERSTON —I have stated that the Go-
vernment of the Austrian empire are perfectly cognisant
of the policy and intentions of her Majesty's Govern.
ment. There never has been any secret or any doubt on
the part ef the Austrian Government about it. (Hear.)
EASTER RECESS.
Lord PALMERSTON gave notice that he should
move the adjournment of the house for the Easter re-
cess from the Friday before Passion week until the Mon-
day following the Easter week.

HOP DUTY.
On the motion that the house at its rising should ad-
journ until Thursday next,
Mr. FREWEN asked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer if it was his intention t) introduce any measure
during the present session to alter either the Excise
duty on British hops or Customs duty on foreign hops I
If the Chancellor of the Exchequer could afford to give
up 200,0001. on the newspaper stamp, 'which- the news-
papers themselves did not desire, surely hehad a right
to ask this concession to au interest that really did
desire it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
there was no present intention on the part of the Go.
veroment to alter either the Excise or the Custom duties
on hops. •
The subject then dropped.
WOUNDED OFFICERS,
Captain KNOX asked the Under Secretary for War,
whether wounded officers at present on leave of absence
in distant counties were ordered up, and by whose autho-
rity, to be inspected by a medical board in London
before their wounds were healed- • and whether the word
of honour of such officers, together with the certificate
of the local medical man,
was not sufficient to prevent the
necessity of their taking
a journey
pre-
judicial to health,
which may be
Mr. PEEL said the orders were either issued by the
War-office or the Horse Guards. Such a certificate as
that mentioned -would be a sufficient excuse for not
obeying the order.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.
Mr. WILKINSON asked the President of the Board
of Health what extent of the Metropolitan District he
intended to exempt from the operation of the Public
Health Bill, 1855 /
Sir B. HALL said the act of 1848 excluded the City
of Westminster, and the City of London, but the new
bill would embrace the whole of the area embraced in
the Registrar-General's district.
COLONIAL AFFAIRS.
Mr. ROEBUCK having severely animadverted
upon the impolicy of keeping the Colonial-office
open for the convenience of Lord John Russell,
proceeded to ask the First Lord of the Treasury;
what is the intended policy of- the Administration
with respect to the colony of Newfoundland, and the
complaints made by the House of AliSembly of that
colony, and set forth iu a petition from that assembly to
to the home Government. The present, suspension of
business which partially prevailed at the Colonial-
office was likely to prove highly detrimental to the in-
terest of the country. He wanted to know if it was the
intention of the Government to recall the Governor, and
grant immediately the power of self-government to the
Colony, as that they might be in a position to remedy
their own abuses.

Lord PALMERSTON denied that any inconvenience'
had resulted from the absence of Lord J. Russell, as the
affairs of the colonies were attended to by himself and his
right hon. friend at the head of the Home Department.