The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-01 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

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HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD. CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

Lord LYNDHURST presented a petition from Shef-
field, praying for a vigorous prosecution of the war.
The Ossett Gas Bill was read a second time.
Hill's Estate Bill was read a third time and pasSed.
THE SARDINIAN CONTINGENT.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, seeing the noble
earl the Minister for; War in his place, wished to call his
attention to a eirciiiiistkice.„that had appeared in the
papers of Saturday. A letter appeared, dated the 22d
from Genoa, bi which it appeared that, in
reference to the Sardinian troops that had sailed
for the East, the Commissary-General in the
Crimea bad declared himself unable to supply those
troops with previsidias. Unless there was a secret mili-
tary convention fti*l into between ns and the Sardi-
nian Governme id not think that this Government
bound itself to ' ,71 the Sardinian contingent with
commissariat stores:- If the British Commissariat had
bound itself to supply provisions to the Sardinian troops
as well as the Turkish troops, it must be prepared at
least to meet a demand of at least 70,000 rations a day.
He begged to ask the noble earl the Minister of War for
information on the subject.
Lord PANMURE had heard with some surprise that
the necessary supplies for the provisioning of the Sar-
dinian army had not been sent out with the troops to
the Crimea. In the first instance, it was understood
that the Sardinian Government was to send a transport
withone month's provisions beforethe sailing of the troops.
There was no second convention entered into with
the Sardinian Government, but Commissary-General
Filder had received instructions to supply those troops
upon the usual regulation prices, and he had no
doubt that that officer would find any difficulty in doing
so. By the last mail a letter was received from Sit
M`Neil, who had been sent out by the Government to
make special inquiries into the state of the commissariat,
and that letter of the gallant officer stated that there
was an ample supply of meat and grain to be
found in the Crimea to meet the demands of
the army, and, therefore, no apprehension need be
entertained as to the falling off or scarcity of provisions.
MILITIA (IRELAND) BILL.
Lord PANMURE moved the third reading or this
bill.

The Earl of WICKLOW complained of the manner in
which this bill was being hurried forward. The noble earl
also objected to the manner in which the bill was drawn
up, as he thought it most unfair to demand a higher
qualification from Irish officers in the militia than were
required by the English militia. He concluded by mov-
ing the addition of a provision to one of the clauses,
rendering such officers eligible upon the qualification
which they possessed at the time the commissions issued,
or which they possessed at the present time. •
Lord PAIsTIVIURE had no objection to the alteration
proposed by the noble and learned lord.
After a few words from the Earl of DERBY the
amendment was,agreed to.

Lord PANMLYRE proposed another amendment,
which was also agreed to.

The bill was re-ad a third time and passed.
TROOPS ON BOARD THE ALMA.

The Marquis of SALISBURY put a question to the
Secretary for War, relative to"the embarkation of troops
on board the Alma. The troops were embarked in their
old clothing, without any sufficient provision for the
summer months, and without the new clothing which at
this season should be supplied to them. They were also
sent with their old arms, and without that invaluable
and indispensable arm, the Minie rifle.
Lord PANMURE said, with respect to the arms, he
could not believe it possible that the report to which the
noble marquis referred bad any foundation, or that any
of her Majesty's troops had left this country for the
Crimea armed with the old musket. The noble marquis
should know that every regiment in the service now in
the Crimea bad the rifle. He should, however, make
strict inquiry, and he would admit the whole ground of
complaint if it should turn out to be true that the troops
had left with the old arms. With respect to the sum-
mer clothing, the Guards always embarked with a suit
of clothes partly wcrn, and not with their new suit ; but
the new was sent after them.
THE VIENNA NEGOTIATIONS.

The Earl of DERBY rose and said— If I knew what
member of her Majesty's Government I could address
myself to, I would put a question of considerable im-
portance, inasmuch as wo have arrived at a period in
the great struggle in which we are engaged when it is
essential for the Government to lay before Parliament
the fullest information in their power to afford. We
have forborne putting questions which might embarrass
her Majesty's Ministers during the progress of the nego-
tiations which have been going on, but as we have been
given to understand that these negotiations have alto-
gether terminated, that all hopes of peace are at an end,
and that her Majesty's plenipotentiary has returned and
is in this country, I have been in expectation that her
Majesty's Government would have felt it to be their duty
to make, without any question being asked, a state-
ment to both houses of Parliament, describing the actual
condition of affairs, and informing them of the nature
of the propositions made by her Majesty's Government
and her allies and the result of those proposition F.
(Hear, hear.) Ido not see the noble earl the Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs in his place. [A. Noble
Lord—He was here a short time ago. He was sum-
moned by her Majesty.] Perhaps some member of her
Majesty's Government will he good enough to acquaint
the house whether a statement will be made on the pre-
sent position of affairs, and detailing what has taken
place at Vienna both by the Allied Powers and by Aus-
tria, and what was the character of the answer given by
Russia to the propositions made to her ; likewise, ivbe-
ther it is the intention of the Government to lay before
Parliament the nature of those propositions, and a state-
ment
of their views as to the actual position of the pre-
sent
critical state and threatening aspect of foreign
affairs. (Hear, hear.)
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied—My noble
friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has
been in the house till the last ten minutes, when, I have
reason to know, be was sent for by her Majesty. Had
he been here he would, I am sure, have given an answer
to my noble friend. lam confident that it is the inten-
tion of her Majesty's Government at the earliest period,
on a very speedy occasion, to lay before Parliament
what has taken place, and I have no doubt that my
noble friend will make such a statement, though I am not
prepared to name a day. I will, however, consult with
my noble friend, and he will be able to state to-morrow
or the day after when he will lay whatever information
he can communicate before the house.