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

There was no intention to recall the Governor, but
active steps were being taken for extending to the
colony the fullest right of self-government.
Mr. BRIGHT insisted that the present uncertainty
that surrounded Colonial affairs W 3,9 alike discreditable
to the Government, and dangerous to our colonial
institutions. In point of fact, the business of Govern-
ment in Newfoundland was at a stand-still, and there-
fore he should advocate the introduction without
delay of a measure for conferr'ng upon the
colony the right of electing or removing their
own' Governor without reference to the authorities at

home.
Mr. R. LOWE drew attention to the disturbances
which had taken place at the diggings in Australia,
which had ended in the death of the commander of the
troops, and placing the Governor and his Legislative
Council almost at the mercy of the mob. Now under
these circumstancess he called upon the Government not
to let a moment be lost in giving the colony the fullest
right of local self-goyernment.
Sir G. GREY said the disturbances referred to were
put down by the energy of the Governor, and he had no
reason to suppose that the peace of the colony remained
undisturbed. The outbreak was confined to a number

of foreigners, and it was suppressed by the authorities,
though not without serious loss on both sides. No time

Would be lost in bringing in a bill for completing the
constitution of this and the other colonies who have had

the power of self-government conferred upon them.
Mr. ADDERLEY also insisted upon the necessity of
immediately giving the colonies a responsible go-

vernment.

Sir J. PA.KINGTON defended Governor Hamilton,
but did so from no private or personal motive. True, it
was he (Sir J. Pakington) who had selected tee governor
for his appointment, but ho had done so simply because
of the ability and success with which Governor Hamilton
bad conducted the government of a small colony in the
West Indies. With regard to his having advised that a
responsible government should not be granted to the
colony, he was not singular in this advice, for Sir Jasper
Le Marchant and all preceding. governors had given the
_ .

same counsel. The charges against the present governor
were altogether unsubstantial.
Mr. J. MACGREGOR trusted that the Government
would give such instructions to the governor of the
colony as would enable him to meet all the difficulties
which had disturbed the intercourse between the inhabi-
tants of the colony and the French fishermen who had
their fishing stations along the coast.
Mr. F. SCULLY said the revenue cf the colony had
greatly decreased, in consequence of the uncertainty
which attached to the Government.
Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice that on an early day he
would present a petition from the Assembly of New-
foundland, and would take the sense of the house on the
proposition contained in that petition.
The motion for the adjournment of trio house, r,t its
rising, until Thursday, was then a;reed to.
MILITARY COLLEGE AT SANDHURST.
Colonel NORTH moved the following resolution ;
"That this house resolve itself into a committee to con-
sider of an humble address to her Majesty, praying that
she will be graciously pleased to give directions—lst.
That 10 orphans, sons of eflicers in our army, navy, and
marines, shall receive their education, board, and cloth-
ing, free frcni expense to their friends ; 2d. 'That the
number of cadets et Sandhurst, who are now adinissib!e
into the first &ass be increased to 50 ; 34. That depart-
ments in the civil branches of the public service shall be
open to those cadets who may entitle themselves to them
by their good conduct, and by having passed those exa-
minations which may be required of them—those cadets
who preer the military service to receive commiAons, as
at present, cei pas, ing the nece sary examinations; nr.d
to a,svre her Majesty that this house will make loud the
Fame.' The ho-. and gallant member said, the establish-
ment of this college was owing to the zeal, talent, and

untiring perseverance of the late Gen. Le ivlarchant,
aided by the co-operation of the late Duke of York. That
gallant officer fell at the head of a charge of heavy
cavalry at the battle of Salamanca, but not before he had
seen 200 gentlemen prepared at the school for the
general staff, and 1,500 cadets enrolled officers in the
army. Since the original foundation of the school,
changes had been made which completely frustrated the
intentions of the late Duke of York. In effect, they
practically shut the door to the entrance of the orphans
of those officers who had not held high rank in the
army. These orphans were called upon to pay 401. a-
year, in addition to Si. for books and clothing, when, in
sunny instances, their mothers received pensions of only
30/., 401., and 501. His object, in proposing the pre-
sent motion, was to restore the school to its legitimate
and proper state ; and there certainly never was a time
when it was more necessary than now to pay some at-
tention to the families of officers who had lately so freely
shed their blood in the cause of their country. He be-
lieved there was no such thing on record as an English
army being guilty of what was called "pronouncing.,"
and so long as the throne remained untouched, so long
might they depend upon their officers and soldiers obey-
ing the orders of any Government which the country
called to power.
Admiral WALCOTT seconded the motion, which he
thought founded on strict principles of justice. In the
army, commissions were given from other considerations
than these of meritorious service ,• and, in the navy, high
family connections were not overlooked. As to this col-
lege of Sandhurst, it was now a self-supporting institu-
tion, but it was a reproach to this country that such in-
stitutions did not exist for the purpose of educating the
orphans of those brave and gallant men who died in the
service of tl eir country. The private soldiers and sailors
had the advantage of Chelsea and Greenwich Hospitals,
but no hope was held out to the poor subaltern in the
army that his helpless children would be provided for.
No such consolation could be offered to the soldier, dying
on the field of battle—no assurance that fir his little
ones the pangs of poverty would not be added to those
of bereavement. He trusted the house would give en-
couragement to the poorer class of officers ' • and, whilst
well-earned honours and medals were given by the Sove-
reign to living valour, the death-bed of the soldier
would not be left without the consolation that his chil-
dren would not be neglected by that country in whose
service he had given up his life. (Hear.)
Mr. PEEL replied that if, in point of fact, the only
question involved in the resolution was, whether or not
such an appropriation might be made of the revenues of
the military college at Sandhurst, as would secure for
the children of officers in the army the means of receiv-
ing, without any expense to themselves, such education
as the high professional standing of those employed as
tutors in that college was capable of affording—there
could be no difference of opinion concerning this resolu-
tion. No doubt the education given in Sandhurst College,
though in some respects peculiar and professional, fitted
the cadets for the functions which they were afterwards
called upon to perform, when they received commissions
in the army. The college arrangements enabled a num-
ber of the sons of officers in the army to receive an ex-
cellent education at very little cost to themselves ; and
he felt sure it would be satisfactory if arrangements
could be made by which the advantages of the college
would be extended, and the objects mentioned by the hon.
and gallant gentleman could be attained. But before the
house agreed to a resolution which involved a grant of
money, it should satisfy itself that that money could not
be obtained by other means ; and he (Mr. Peel) would
wish to inquire whether the income of the college itself
might not be so appropriated as to secure the object which
the hon. and gallant gentleman had in view, without
calling on Parliament for any grant whatever. (Hear,
bear.) The College of Sandhurst was self-supporting.
This the hon. and gallant gentleman said was a disgrace
to the country. Now, he (Mr. Peel) did not at all agree
with the hon. and gallant gentleman in this view, but
thought it creditable to the country that there should be
self-supporting institutions without drawing on the pub-
lic purse, Now, who were the students at Sandhurst
College ? They were, he thought, divided into three
classes. The first class consisted of 25 cadets, each at
401. a year ; and in return for that payment they were
provided with an excellent education and board and
lodging. Such was the anxiety to obtain admission to
that class that, though there had been a number of va-
cancies during the last seven or eight year=, there were
now no less than 50 applications for admission. The
boys admitted were the children of captains and sub-
alterns in the army, and the children of those officers
who held a corresponding rank in the navy. The second
class consisted of 50 cadets, who paid from between 501.
to 801. a year, and were the sons of field officers and
general officers. The third class consisted of the sons
of private gentlemen, and paid 1051. a year. The in-
come of the college was derived from the sums paid
by this class of students, and it was theirpayments which
enabled the college to provide for cadets of the class to
which he first adverted—at least that portion of their
cost which was not covered by the sums they themselves
paid. He had no objection to the orphans of soldiers
receiving a gratuitous education— a wholly gratuitous
one—on the contrary, he desired it ; but the question
:me, whether the funds of the college itself could not be
_5l arranged as to erect this without any grant from Par-
liament at all The income of the college, he was told,
averaged at from 18,000/. to 19,000/, a-year, and, with
the exception of some 701. or 801. per annum rent of
land, all the
ent was derived from the payments of the
Somestudents.years ago the income of Sandhurst did
not do more than
ee expenditure, because the col-
lege was calledupon to execute repairs;_ but that expense
Was thrown upon the office of Works, and the money
was saved to the college. They bad now an average 1,2001.,5us
a carried to the credit {ithe
plus of income ofand that
not d'onabtt
that, if the public exchequer,
ow
whole
the
eld into
Government; but he did
some scheme might
matter were considered,
be adopted
by which that sum might be applied
o the purposes of
(hear, .iear)or a larger
gratuitous education—(
of the eons of officers receive education tlierensus%
reduced scale of payment. He must observe that the
expenses of management were considerable. Though he
would not interfere with the present incumbents, he
thought that, when vacancies occurred, it might be con.
side red whether some of the offices might not be die-
paused with. (Hear, hear.) He doubted if any college
should be made to depend on the annual vote of Parlia-
ment, unless they bad some very positive and certain as-
surance that Parliament would vote annually the neces-
sary funds. If Parliament made a grant one year, by
which the college would be induced to extend the sphere
of its usefulness, and the next year refused to continue
the grant, how would the college be able to work when
thrown upon its own resources? Some years ago this
college was supported by means of grants fromParlia-
ruent—indeed, 25 years ago, the House of Commons
voted 8,000/. or 10,000/. a-year ; but the late Mr. Hume
systeenat:cally opposed that allowance, and he was at
length successful in his opposition, and the college was
thrown upon its own resources. Besides this, tl.e hon.
and gallant officer did not propose to confine the conferr-
ing of the advantages of the colleges to the sons of officers
who died in action. Well, but would it not he deemed
rather hard that the sons of officers generally should
be admitted, whilst the children of meritorious public
*trews in the civil service should be excluded? Upon

NNIN

11=111

the whole, he thought the first step taken in the matter
ought to be to ascertain how far the funds of the college
itself could be made available for carrying out the objects
which the hon. and gallant gentleman had in view
Sir G. PECHELL entirely acquiesced in the view
taken of this question by the Under-Secretary at War.
lie thought the preseLt management of Sandhurst Col-
llege grossly extravagant. (Hear.) There were no less
than 33 officials there, including the governor and the
deputy-governor. ►What was termed the civil branch of
the college, cost no loss than 9,0001. a-year. There
were 18 persons as professors and masters, 22 persons
as clerks, housekeepers, servants, &c. ; and all these to
attend only 180 boys. Hear, hear.) No less than
8,371 was charged for the expense of what was called
the staff; the expense of the civil branch was 5,9341. ;
and the charge for contingencies, stationery, andthe like,
including the salary of the secretary, 4,4951. The expense
of maintaining a cadet was only ls. 51d. per day, so that
the cost of the 180 students was only 4,0001., yet the ex-
penses of the institution were no less than 18,0001. per
year. The governor had a salary of no less than 1,0001.
a-year, and he was allowed 3001. a-year besides for
four horses. The deputy or lieutenant-governor had
also a considerable salary, and was allowed for two
horses. Surely a grant from Parliament could not be
asked until this excessive expenditure was modified.
Sixty additional boys could easily be kept, if due eco-
nomy were used, without their parents paying a farthing.

(He;,r, hear.)
Mr. BRADY gave his cordial support to the motion,
which he trusted the hon. and gallant member would
press to a division.
Capt. SCOBELL observed that though the question
before the house was a small one, it involved a very im-
portant principle—whether Parliament would go on in
the jog-trot way it had done—whether the state of things
which existed and the requirements of war would not
induce them to take some such step as that now pro-
posed. They ought to remember how many orphans
had become so of late by their fathers falling in the ser-
vice of their country—(hear, hear)—and lie must say
that he did not approve of the tone used by the Under-
Secretary to the War Department (Mr. Peel), and hoped
the hon. and gallant gentleman who made the motion
would press it to a division. It was all very well to say
that there was a class in which the sons of deceased offi-
cers, who had not the means of paying the full sum,
were educated for 401. a-year ; but where was the
401. a-year to come from ? It often happened that
the officer's widow bad only 1001. a-vear to subsist upon,
and maintain three or four children. How could she,
then, devote 401. a-year out of her pittance for the edu-
cation of one child. (Hear, hear.) The thing was ab-
surd. He was sure the public would not begrulge the
sum which would he required to carry out the proposi-
tion of the hon. and gallant gentleman. The time had
come when it was necessary to encourage merit in all
&asses, ciril and milit cry, and therefore he hoped the
house would not coldly say " No " to the - motion now
submitted. (Hear, hear.)
Col. DUNNE observed that, in point of fact, Sand-

hnrst was not a public innt a privata eqablishment, in
management of which the Government interfered. Tile
manner in which the establishment was conducted was
disgraceful, and the army was not grateful to the coun-
try for it. He believed the speech of the hon. gentle-
man the Under Secretary at War, instead of raising the
character of the army, would tend to degr.de it.
Mr. RICH would give his support to Vie motion of
the hon, and gallant gentleman, and he only wished it
bad been more comprehensive in its character.

Lord PALMEE,TON said tlia,t this discussion was
an instance of what was often said, tamely, that the
House of COllllllOll5 was excessively liberal at one line•

went, and very niggerdly at another. (Hear, lies •.) It
should be remembered that this establismncr.t was origi-
nally founded upon a much larger 'scale, and that, in
former times, the house was called upon to agree to a
large vote for its maintenance. It had been said that if
Mr. Hume were still among them he would have voted
for large military establishments, and especially in fa-
vour of a proposition like the present—
Captain SCOBELL—What I said was this, that Mr.
Hume n.iver begrudged a proper payment fur a proper
purl) ,se. (Hear, bear.)
Lord PALMERSTO.N remembered to have bad many
battles with Mr. Hume upon this subject, when that
hon. gentleman had contended that an institution simi-
lar to that of Sandhurst should be self-supporting. The
grants made in favour of Sandhurst were, upon those
representations, discontinued, and tne institution was
made self-supporting. It appeared reasonable that it
should he so, because those young men who passed their
examinations were enabled to get commissions without
purchase, which, in point of fact, was an equivalent for
the sums they might have raid to the institution.
His hon. friend the Under-Secretary at War had
already stated that those contributions exceeded, in
point of fact, the entre expense of the institution,
and that the Government would take the entire sub-
ject into their consideration, in order to see how they
could accomplish the object which the hon. and gallant
member had in view. He (Lord Palmerston) thought
that nothing could be mere fair than this, and he asked
the house to be content with it, and not to support a
resolution which would in a blindfold manner pledge the
public revenue to contribute to the support of an estab-
lishment which might be maintained without recourse
to such assistance. (Hear, hear.) But the hon. and
gallant gentleman's resolution went further, for it pro-
posed that appointments to the civil service of the Crown
should also be given to students at Sandhurst. The
was an extraordinary proposition, for be confessed he
could not understand by what arrangement the hon. and
gallant gentleman proposed to carry his plan into execu-
tion— what portions of the civil service were t') be open
to those candidates, and what were to be their qualifica-
tions. (Hear.) He was sure the house would not, under
any circumstances, agree to such a proposition as that.
He put it to the house whether it would not be better,
seeing that the institution had originally been much
larger, but had been reduced by Parliament, and that
it was now more than self-supporting, to leave the
subject for the consideration of the Government, with
a view to extending the usefulness of the institution.
(Clear, her.)
Colonel NORTH said he did not care by what means
the funds were to be raised, provided the Government
agreed to add 10 cadetships to increase the first class by
25' additional students. He saw no reason why students
at Sandhurst, who were the sons of officers, should on
that account be shut off from employment in the, civil
service. The education at Sandhurst was sufficiently
good for any profession ; and if a student showed an
aptitude for acquiring languages, or for general business,
he saw no reason why he should not be employed in the
Foreign-office, or in some other department of the Go-
vernment. (Hear, hear.) He would persist in the mo-
tion, and as long as he had a seat in that house he would
fight the battle of the soldiers' children. (Loud cries of
hear, hear.)
Mr. WATSON suggested that it would be very de-
sirable to have a committee appointed to consider the
expenditure of the establishment, the character of the
education provided, and the class of persons who were
most eligible for education within its walls. (Hear.)
He was an old cadet himself, and he had learned mili-
tiry honour under General Le Marchant, who had fallen
nobly at Salamanca. Although having been educated
at Sandhurst, he left an attachment to the institution,
still he considered it was a disgrace to the country that
there was no adequate establishment for the education
of the children of those gallant men who had sacrificed
their Eves in defence of their country. It was also highly
important that greater attention should, for the future'
he paid to the education of staff officer.% (Hear.) The
education of staff officers was now scandalously neglected
—(hear)—and nepctiam, patronage, and something
worse, had placed men in positions of responsibility who
were altogether unfit for their offices. The time Lad
now come when the country expected to have educated
officers, and depend upon it, if the present system were
not speedily changed, the country would make an out-
cry upon the subject. He regretted that, by the pro-
position of the hon. and gallant gentleman, the selec-
tions for the 10 cadetships were to be left to the Horse
Guards, as their manner of selection heretofore was
not such as to inspire much confidence in their nomina-
tions. If the Government did not consent to refer the
matter to a committee of the house, he would certainly
give his vote in favour of the motion.
Lord PALMERSTON said he had not the slightest
objection. It was perfectly reasonable that the whole
of the institution should be inquired into by a committee
of the house, and he should have no objection to make
that motion himself.
Col. KNOX advised the gallant gentleman to accept
the offer of the noble lord. He was sorry to find that
the Government had laid down a rule by which the
widows of officers with 3001, a-year income were denied
either pensions or assistance to educate their children.
Col. NORTH accepted the offer, and, by leave, the
motion was withdrawn.
GRAND JURY SYSTEM OF IRELAND.
Sir D. NORREYS moved for leave to bring in a bill
to relieve grand juries in Ireland from fiscal duties, and
to place the administration of local affairs in elected
councils.
Mr. P. URQUHART seconded the motion, and,
after rsome conversation among the Irish members,
leave was given to bring in the bill.
BRITISH MUSEUM.

Sir J. WALMSLEY rose to move that, in the opinion
of that house, it would promote the moral and intellec-
tual improvement of the working classes of this metro-
polis if the collections of natural history and of art in the
British Museum and the National Gallery were open to
the public inspection after morning service on Sundays.
This motion was before the house during the last
session, with some slight modification, under his
lamented friend the late honourable member for
daMontrose,insdensussieninui butcTilll
er noap
moral, social,
ter of the motion was of a very practical
present motion
would promote not only the
interfere with thse an('
and industrial, but also the religious charac-
peopnlwe. It was not intended to promote any
but it was introduced opinions, nor was it intended to
speculative vi
rergious observances of the Sabbath ;
in avta
rlthevarious
districts earnest requestnf
th no
metropolis,
numerous
i n order to rnakectkrneozenr
workrnfae
bodies of workmen
their wants and requirements
facilities were given to foreign
eXuhribitions and collections of this nature.
in their freer access to pub-
licworkmen to
and that
private house. o
ou
vs ee . r
called the people's day—
uurnibera of those
f vce and
i
Su
if nday g e
they
the rich mibad ht
every day, but the
n
in seven. He was persuaded thatPaoroeral'lan bad only one
who, Sunday after Sunday, pursued a Coe
se
dissipation, might be saved from such degradatione
Government only afforded them the fitting opportunity
Should objections be taken to the employment of itthe.
officials on the Sunday, the proposition which he now
made would obviate that difficulty, for it did not involve
their attendance but in a slight degree. A few officers
of police would be all that was nec?seaxy to perform the
duties required ; and not one individual would i e k,i,t
from Divine service on the Sunday. Dr. Graham, in
his evidence in Is4l, said that he could see no objection