The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-23 00:00:00

NEW PEER.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-TESI7/RDIY,

Mr. RICARDO wished to ask the First Lord of the
Treasury whether he will lay on the table of the house
nll correspondence between the Government and the
United States on the subject of international arrange-
ments in time of war
Lord PALMERSTON said it would not be desirable
to lay the correspondence upon the table of the house,
hut he could state that the relations between the two
Governments were of the must friendly and amicable
description. (Hum, bear.)

THE WAR AND THE COLONIES.
Mr. ADDERLEY wished to ask whether Mr. Ran-
kin, a member of the Canadian Parliament, has made an
offer to her Majesty to raise and equip a thousand men
to join the army in the East, and, if so, what answer
ban been given him ; and, whether her Majesty has
offered commissions to colonists who raise regiments at
their own expense : and, also, whether it is the intention
of her Majesty's Government to propose that any grate-
ful acknowledgment should be made on the part of
Parliament of the sympathy and patriotism evinced by
various colonies in ♦oting large sums of money towards
the expenses of the present war !
Sir G. GREY had not the slightest recollection of any
transaction having occurred of the nature referred to '
in the first question. With regard to the second ques-
tion, a correspondence was now pending with the autho-
rities of the colonies on that very subject ; as to the last
question, it was not intended to propose any resolution,
because subscriptions were still coming in, and such a
resolution would be incomplete at present.
STATUTE LAW COMMISSION.
Mr. CRAUFURD asked the law officers of the
'Crown whether the Statute Law Commission had ad-
journed its sittings sine die, or what are the days ap-
pointed for the sittings of the said board ; and, when
the board is not sitting, by whom are its functions exer-
cised I

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the sittings had
not been adjourned sine die. The commission met every
fortnight.

LAW OF DIVORCE.
Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE inquired if it was the in-
tention of the Government to bring in any measure this
session on the law of divorce.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL could not answer the
question at present.

SCUTARI AND BALAKLATA.
Mr. STAFFORD asked whether there was any objec-
tion to lay on the table of the house the instructions
given to the commissioners appointed last November to
inquire into the state of the hospitals at Scutari and
Balaklava, whit the report of and evidence taken before
the said commissi,nersl
Lord PALMERSTON said the report of the Com-
mission had not yet been received ; but when it was re-
ceived there would be no objection to lay it upon the
table, together with the instructions given to the com-
missioners. _

INDIAN AltM.y.
Mr. H. DRUMMOND asked if the Government
any intention of converting the army of the a had
Company into a Royal army ? (Cheers.) et India
Lord PALMERSTON said no such intention exi,t,a
at present.
MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

Lord PALMERSTON rose again and said—Sir, I
Lave now to state to the house that which I believe is
tolerably well known already, namely, that three
members of the Government have intimated their
intention to resign the offices which they have hitherto
held. I mean the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the First
Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for
the Colonial Department. Those officers hold their i

scr offices at present only until their successors shall be ap-
ita
pointed, Under these circumstances, and considering
4'7 that these officers are membefs of the Government in
Hi: this house, I trust the house will not think that lam
.:1; - t unduly pressing upon their indulgence if I propose to
,-i,'- AL___ _A.
\s„,.A „, saves acli sec:tor upon Any publio businsao to-clay, We will
•4.1 F,, -
.. 'l.t.tAh..ol-;.-.l„'-v,--,
.45,t,

The Earl of BANGOR took the oaths and his seat.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition
praying for the total prohibition of the sale of intoxi-
cating liquors.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the
mayor and corporation of Portsmouth, complaining of
the municipal act of 1835 depriving them, as well as
others, of the choice of their magistrates—a right which
they had possessed under the several charters granted
them since the reign of Richard I. The petitioners
prayed their lordships to pass an act to restore to all
such corporations the right of the election of their own
magistrates.

A DAY OF PRAYER AND HUMILIATION.
On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE for the ad-
journment of the house,
The Earl of RODEN called the attention of their
lordships to the present critical state of affairs, and also
to the necessity of resorting to every means to carry on
the war with vigour. Having refez red to tile losses sus.
tnined in our army, the hardships and sufferings to which
the remnant of that army were exposed, and the mor-
tality that was still thinning the ranks, the noble earl
expressed a hope that the Government would ad-
vise her) Majesty to issue a proclamation, appointing
a day to be set apart as a day of general humiliation
and prayer, to implore the protection of Almighty God
upon our arms.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said, with respect to the
observations which the noble earl had addressed to them,
he begged to say that he had no objection to a day being
net apart for a special prayer. But what he did object
to was a prayer being introduced into the liturgy for
ordinary use.
The Earl of GRANVILLE said, with respect to the
observations of the noble earl, touching the condition of
the army in the Crimea, he bad great pleasure in in-
forming him that the condition of that army was greatly
improved. He also begged to inform the noble earl
that the Government had already advised her Majesty
to appoint a day during the present season of Lent for
the purpose of humiliation and prayer.
Lord CAMPBELL expressed his approval of the pro-
posed. advice.

After a few words from the Earl of RODBN, their
lordships adjourned.

The SPIAM took the chair shortly before 4 o'clock,
_ PRTITTONR.

sir X. YA/LTON Presented a petition from Coventry
complaining of the mismanagement of the war, and pray-
ing for inquiry.
Sir B. HALL presented a petition from the parish of
Marylebone to the same effect.
Sir J. SHELLEY presented a petition Ifrom West-
minster to the same effect.
Mr. HADFIELD presented a petition from Shef-
field, praying the sale of intoxicating liquors may be
prohibited during the whole of Sunday.
THE COMMISSARIAT.
In reply to Mr. BENNET,
Mr. WILSON stated that the Commissariat was
transferred from the Treasury to the department of the
Minister of War early in December last.
IRISH PAUPERS.

Mr. MAGUIRE wished to ask the Secretary of State
for the Howe Department, whether his notice had been
called to certain statements reported to have been made
in his official capacity by Mr. Hardwick, a Police Ma-
gistrate of the Metropolis, in the course of last week, to
the effect that chip loads of Irish paupers were being
constantly sent by the authorities of Ireland to this
country; and, if so, had any step been taken with re•
sped to a person holding a responsible public office
making such statements ?
Sir G. GREY said his attention had not been called
to the matter.
Mr. MAGUIRE—WiII the right hon. baronet inquire
into it 1
Sir G. GREY—Not in the absence of any represen-
tation to the Home•office on the subject.
IRISH MILITIA.
Mr. BRADY wished to ask the Chief Secretary for
Ireland whether his attention bad been called to the fol-
lowing circumstance, stated to have occurred in the town
of Enniskillen, as set forth in an Irish paper, The Free-
men's Journal, of the 16th instant—namely, that on
Sunday, the 11th day of February, the Fermanagh Re-
giment of Militia, composed of nearly 400 men, of
whom one-half were of the Catholic religion, was
marched through that town, their Colonel at their head,
with colours flying, and the band in their front playing
party Orange tunes ; that, so organised and occupied,
they passed the Protestant and Catholic churches ; and,
if so, had he made inquiries into the truth or otherwise
of that statement ?
Sir J. YOUNG said his attention bad not been called
to the circumstance.

THE WOUNDED.
Mr. BERESFORD wished to ask the Under-Sec-
retary of the War Department whether, as reports gene-
rally concur in the statement that the quality of the
food supplied to the army ;n the Bast was bad and in-
jurious, that the tents issued were inefficient for the
necessary shelter of the troops from the exposure to
which they were subjected, and that tho hospital
arrangements, especially as to the corps of ambulance and
orderlies were lamentably deficient, any suggestions
were made, as they ought to have been, by the principal
medical officer there, to Lord Raglan, commanding the
forces, or by the Director General at home to the Secre-
tary for War, and, if any, whether the Secretary fur
War will produce copies of the suggestions, with the
date of their receipt, and the answers returned to them
Mr. F. PEEL was not aware whether any such sug-
gestions had been made ; but some suggestions hal
been submitted to the authorities at home, and were
now under consideration.
THE COMMISSARIAT.
Mr. WARNER wished to ask the First Lord of the
Treasury, whether the Commission proceeding to the
East, in relation to the commissariat service, is to be
merely a commission of inquiry, or whether it will have
power of summary dismissal and appointment extend-
ing to all officers and appointments to which its power
of inquiry extended ; and, if it shall appear that the
commission will have powers of appointment and dis-
missal, subject to any kind of restrictions, then to ask
what those restrictions are
Lord PALMERSTON said the commission had au-
thority to carry into execution immediately any change
of arrangements which they might think essential for
the public service.
TREATY WITH AMERICA.