The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-23 00:00:00

EIVIPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
SECOND READINGS.
The following bills were read a second time ;—Car-
'earthen and Cardigan Railway ; London and South-
Western Railway; and Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver-
hampton Railway.
Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions from
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in favour of the abolition of
church rates ; also a petition, numerously signed, from
the county of Denbigh, in favour of the jurisdiction of
County Courts. The noble lord took the opportunity
of condemning the system under which so large an
amount of fees was charged in those courts.
The Marquis of WESTMINSTER presented some
petitions from various parts of the metropolis against
trading on the Lord's Day.
Earl FITZWILLIAM presented a petition in favour
of administrative reform.
UNION CONTIGUOUS BENEFICES IN CITIES I
AND TOWNS BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
INFANTS MARRIAGES BILL.
On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR this
bill was read a third time and passed.
CARNEGIE'S RESTITUTION BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second read-
ing of this bill, the object of which was to remove the
attainder against the peerage of Southesk, which had
existed since the year 1715.
The bill was read a second time.
ASSIZES AND SESSIONS BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second read-
ing of this bill. It was for the purpose of having ses-
sions for the trial of offenders held more frequently than
was now the case under the present system, and there-
by prevent the expense, inconvenience, and sometimes
great injustice of detaining such persons in prison
for several months before trial. The noble and learned
lord having stated the details of the measure, moved that
it be read a second time.
Lord:BROUGHAM highly approved of the bill.
He viewed it not only as an instalment, but a very con-
siderable instalment, of the benefits of the resolutions
he moved the other night. By the latest returns it
appeared that of 28,000 persons brought to trial, 6,200,
after a long period of confinement, were either acquitted
or discharged for want of evidence. This was a mon-
strous system to those persons, and he hailed with great
satisfaction the measure now proposed, which would no
doubt remedy this evil in our criminal procedure.
Lord CAMPBELL said, on the part of himself and
his learned colleagues, they would do anything in their
power to favour this measure.
After a short discussion, the second reading was
agreed to.
The Weights and Measures Bill went through com-
mittee.
The Edinburgh Lands Bill was read a second time.
The Stamp Duties Repeal on Matriculation and De-
grees (Oxford) Bill passed through committee.
The Charitable Trusts Bill was reported, with amend-
ments.
The Grants of Lands Bill went through committee.
The Public Libraries and Museums (Ireland) Bill went
through committee. •
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE asked whether the
Baltic fleet had been provided with the apparatus neces-
sary to attack maritime fortresses, in the manner recom-
mended last year to the Admiralty and the Board of
Ordnance by Colonel Bethune ? An engine of great
power of destruction had been strongly recommended to
the notice of the Admiralty and Ordnance ; but those
authorities were of opinion that the use of the engine
against forts in the Baltic would be too hazardous—an
opinion, coming from such a quarter, that was worthy of
respect. Now he thought it would be advisable to have
this engine in readiness to be used if an opportunity oc-
curred—especiaily as men of military experience had
spoken highly in favour of its adoption.
Lcrd PANMURE said the invention was one of those
innumerable suggestions offered to Government on the
breaking out of the war as the best means of destroying
the enemy and ending the war. The engine had been re-
ferred to Sir C. Napier, who said it might do very well,
but it required some gentleman to "bell the cat."
(Laughter.) The Ordnance was appealed to, and they
gave it as their opinion that it would not be effectual,
and could not be applied as stated to the purposes of
war.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the noble mar-
quis's suggestion was one of great importance. The
noble lord (Panmure) said numfrous inventions had been
offered to the notice of Government, but none had been
accepted. It would be a fatal mistake for Government
to assume that nothing that could be invented would be
of advantage to us in the war. It was customary for
difficulties to attend first inventions, but time and ex-
perience usually overcame them. His suggestion was
that there should be a committos to whom all these in-
ventions should be referred, Mho should examine fairly
and report thereon.
Lord PANMURE said nothing had fallen from him
to warrant the noble earl saying that Government ne-
glected to consider these inventions. Several inven-
tions had been tested and adopted, and others refused as
of no value. The practice was to refer all such inven-
tions to scientific authorities at Woolwich, who investi-
gated them, and adopted any portion that might be of
use.

After a few words in reply from the Marquis of
CLA.NRICIRDE the conversation dropped,
And their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(YESTERDAY.)
VOTE OF CENSURE ON THE GOVERN-

MENT.

Mr. ROEBUCK gava notice that on the 3d July he
would move a resolution—" That this house, deeply la-
menting the sufferings of our army in the Crimea during
the winter campaign last year, and considering, in ac•
cordance with the committee, that the conduct of every
member of the Government engaged in the management
of the war was the first and chief cause of those suffer-
ings, this house does hereby censuro the conduct of every
member of the Cabinet." (Loud cries of " hear.")

VENTILATION OF THE HOUSES OF
PARLIAMENT.

Lord ROBERT CECIL ,wished to ask the Chief
Commissioner of Works whether any precautions were
taken to ventilate the house, by the opening of doors
and windows, during the intervals of its session : whether
it was true that Mr. G. Gurney, to whom the ventilation
of the house was committed last year, was habitually
absent from the house, and left the care of its ventilation
entirely to the subordinates who mismanaged it last
year ; and, whether the Government would object to
placing the ventilation, like the kitchen and the library,
under the care of a committee to be nominated every
session ?

Sir. W. MOLESWORTH replied, that with respect
to the first question, he was informed the doors and
windows of both houses were kept open during the time
the houses were not sitting, weather permitting ; that
the ventilation arrangements were kept in action at all
times, day and night, and men were constantly on
the spot to say whether the ventilating apparatus
worked
M properly. As regarded the second ques-
tion, r. Gurney, so far from being habitually
absent from the house, was present every night till at
least 10 o'clock, and received reports of the working of
the apparatus every half hour, and that he resided close
to the house. With regard to the third question, he
did not think it would improve the ventilation of the