The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-17 00:00:00

AD lIINISTRATIVE REFORM.

The preliminary meeting in support of administrative
reform was held at Norwich yesterday, the Mayor in the
chair. It was distinguished for the high respectability
of the electors of both parties who attended.
Mr. LINDSAY was the first speaker. In the course of his
address he said,--We have been engaged for 12 months in
a great war with a powerful nation. We have suffered as
all suffer who go to war. War is an evil, and included
dangers and perils, and therefore we cannot expect that
matters could proceed as they did- during a 'period of
peace. We must expect, for instance, to be heavily taxed
to carry on the war, and the people, of this country, con-
sidering the nature and power of the 'enemy with whom we
have to cope, and the danger ofiallowing a further power
to that enemy—l say the people, of _this land have not
grudged the necessary supplies" to carry on the con-
test as it ought to be carriedeare - But wo -feel -that we
ought to have, some guarantee that the money,voted is
properly expended, bicause if 8,000,0001.'We1l expended
could go as far as 10,000,0001., we should be able to see
that the difference of 2,000,0001. is saved, and not wasted.
But what is really the state of matters ? Have we con-
ducted this war hitherto as men of business would con-
duct their own concerns, and upon any eystern. I find,.
wherever I go—l find everywhere—through the length
and breadth of the land, the opinion prevails that thsre
is no system. (Hear.) I saw one Of the finest and the
noblest armies leaving these shores for the seat of war, full
of spirit, of valour, and of heart. I saw the noble army
despatched—first to the neighbourhood of Constantinople,
then to Varna, then to the sickly region of the Debrud-
eche; I saw that whole army despatched across theßlack
Sea to the shores.of the Crimea, and tLe;e landing. I sew
that noble army, with all the indomitable courage and
energy of the British soldier, mounting the heights of
Alma, and by their bravery and courage drive the foe like
a torrent before them. But I also noticed, `while'this
was going forward, and these noble soldiers were doing_
these great things, that at home nothing was being done
to feed them, to clothe them, or to protect them from
the weather. It struck me, as a man of business, that
surely some plan of operations for the campaign must
be laid down. I thought I saw that a plan had been
adopted. I presumed that after the battle of the Aima
Sebastopol lay open to our victorious arms, but it ap-
pears the system followed did not allow a manifee ad-
vantage to be taken. The object appeared to be that the
army should go to the eastward, and to the eastward
they went, and then took up quarters on the south. But
my astonishment was great when I observed that this
course was taken without a supply of covering, almost
without stores, and almost without food. (Hear.) Ships
at length occupied the harbour of Balaklava, but the
stores when disembarked lay- on the shore without
order, indeed, a perfect chaos appeared to prevail. Let
us look at these things closer. Take the transport ser-
vice, for instance. Why, in the establishment founded
by myself in Austinfriare, I do a larger extent of busi-
ness than the whole of that transport service of the Go-
vernment put together. My business is easily done, be-
cause done on a proper system, and with regularity.- I ,
have done my business this very day before I came here,
for I spent one hour and a half in my counting, house in_
London before I left for Norwich. Should not the Go-
vernment conduct the business of the nation equally weil
as that of a private person? I say, then, we must make
our solemn protest against the present maladministra-
tion of the vital interests of this country. We must have,
in fact, administrative reform. Now, it has been said
that this movement is dangerous. Dangerous! Why,
it was said that the movement in favour of Catholic
emancipation was 'dangerous. The country would not
have obtained that boon if the people had not stirred
themselves. Nor, if the people themselves had not
stirred, would the country have obtained reform of
the representation. Would the country have, ob-
tained untaxed food and free trade if the people had
not taken these questions into their own hands—
if, in fact, these deprecated movements of the people had
not taken place ? (Applause.) I ask, what is the reason
of all the disgrace we have incurred ? I can soon tell
you ; it is because the right man is not put in the right
place. (Hear.). I wish you would hear from me what
is meant by administrative reform. I have already
_staid
that it means the right men in the right places. It means
also that we should recognise an aristocracy of merit,
and that an end should be put to jobbing of all kinds.
How are we to act? By uniting with the association.
I apprehend that shortly other associations of similar
character will be founded in cities and boroughs, and
similar resolutions will be passed to those we have passed
in London, and shall, I hope, pass here to-night. We
have been told that no Government can exist without
patronage, and I can understand that such a Govern-
ment as the present, or the last, find, and have found it
very difficult to live without patronage, and find mffi-
elect members to support them. But we think that
the Government which cannot exist without patronage,
and the right of giving away appointments, is not fit to
govern, and ought not to exist at all. I feel this reform
very necessary, and I do not' speak to you as a political ,
agitator, but as a public man anxious to effeot a good
especially required. I speak to you with seriousness,
for we are in a very ticklish position. If we have a late
harvest, food high, this war still going on, we shall feel
great distresses, and perhaps the people will be discon-
tented—and then, if we continue to have a bad Govern-,
meat, why, God help us. (Hear, hear.) Then, in(leed,
a time may come when the country will require men of
nerve and energy to guide it through Use critical state
of affairs that may exist. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. SPRINGFIELD moved,— .
•
"That this meeting is deeply concerned at the : mid

management of the war, whiCh-has brought fearful;Pfier-
ing and losses upon the army, and discredit upon• the na•
tio.;a/ character, an,l is of opinion thitt the incompetency
of the public establishments is mainly attributable to the
system by which appointments are to a large extent ,
regulated, and which sacrifices efficiency to • party.
and family influences-, and this meeting, therefore, with-
out wishing to exclude the aristocratic classes from the
position in the public services to which their talent and
potriotism may entitle them, assert that merit is the only
principle by which appointment to public offices should
be attained. I

Mr. WARNER expressed a hearty concurrence in the
object for which the meeting had been called,, and snit!,
had it been convened for party purposes or for putting
the working classes down in order to get .the middle
classes into power, he would not have joined in giving
it his support. He was happy to see the union of gen-
tlemen on both sides of politica, and hoped that the ex-
ample of that meeting would .be followed in every place
throughout the kingdom.
. _

The resolution ‘l7,fi then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. W. T. MTULLAGH said we disclaim utterly that
we are innovators—(bear)—we are prepared to resist in-
novation. We are here to restore the just balance of
the constitution—(hear)—we are here to say that, as in
former times, when the monarchy attempted to overstep its
province, it was repelled and repulsed by the combined
might of the nobility and the Commons of England, so
when any class in this land is found to forget itself and
its great duty to fatherland so much as to attempt te
encroach upon us, the Commons, we are as ready as our
forefathers were centuries ago to say, " Thus far thou
shalt go, but no further ; here shall thy proud waves of en-
croachment be stayed." (Applause.) As you will all re-
member, Sir R. Peel came into power in 1841, at the head
of what was called an irresistible majority, and formed
what was boastfully declared to be the strongest Govern-
ment ever constituted, But who was one of the men
whom Sir R. Peel found it necessary—coerced as he was
by the oppressive power of the system in which he found
himself entangled—to place in his Cabinet? No other than
his Grace the present Duke of Buckingham. (Laughter.)
Now, I will ask any friend of Sir R. Peel, any man who
calls himself Conservative, of whatever degree, would he
recommend a Conservative Prima Minister coming into
office to-morrow to replace in the Cabinet his Grace the
Dukelof Buckingham ? (Cries of "no, no.") I will net
say that the appointment was made improperly or ought
not to have been made. I will not inquire into any-
thing beyond the mere statement of the fact, and it is
enough for me to show you that the same system has
been carried out since by every successive Government.
Lord J. Russell was called to power in 1846. His party
were in a minority in the House of Commons, and in a
minority in the House of Lords ; and here was a case 1n
which you would say a man had need to strengthen his
bands by summoning the best men he could around him.
But, like Sir Robert Peel, Lord John Russell was en-
tangled so completely in the net of aristocratic influence
that it was utterly impossible for him—supposing, for
argument's sake, that be had the will—to form a Cabinet
based on merit alone. In his Cabinet was included the
most noble the Marquis of Clanricarde, and I will ask
any man if Lord J. Russell was restored to power, would
you recommend that Lord Clanricarde should berestored
to his former place in the Cabinet ? In considering the
next Cabinet which was formed we must pass from Whigs
to the Tories. Lord Derby was called to power, and
I well remember the interest which was felt at the time
as to the appointments he might make. Well, who did
Lord Derby make First Lord of the Admiralty ? His
Grace the Dnke of Northumberland, and I ask any man
who has read the disclosures before what is called the
" Stafford Committee," would he recommend Lord
Derby, if he ever gets back to power, to put
of Northumberland again in the same office? (
Ltahue Duke:
called
At the end of the same year Lord Aberdeenw
—the phrase is not my own—and having
to deal
to power. Lord Aberdeen having "drifted".
with the country on his back into war—leavingf
public opinion to crea
the roost
by the force o
had to choose
with most difficult exigencies—having
tebeaennoeowniopmeleteed,
called the Ministry of War, :o
driftedffi c
pardon, had
I beg your hter ) It is
(Lam •
to choose a " great" man . d
keep one s heft clear,
competent man to fill it.
(Laughter, and
our indulgence.
11 events
end I must appeal to
Aberdeen had to fill, at a )
to fill it.
"hear.") Well, Lord
very hard in these critical times to
and he laced in it a nobleman
to speak
disinclined as anybody
of whom I am as
I think when a man is down it
hectic"
harshly—first,
to strike him ; and next, becuse I
the Ministry at War, P
is a cowardly thing
e is generally dealt out againe-t a
think great
-u,i''etica Jonah of to save the rest of tle
man who is made
t feeling of hostility, to mire the Duke of
crew. But, no wittetae. ding thea am at liberty, with-
out Vie lea,
Newcastle in the present argument, with the view of
calling to your recollection the fact that afar a fevv
pair ;
no in ees
nths he was obliged to abandon his (ace •
and I do not supposs that even Lord Aberdeen—it in
the inscrutable ‘N ill of !leaven he should ever get back
to power -would inflict so great an itj,ny up on his
onemarquis,
ariw,
friend the Duke of Newcastle 'ts to place him again in a
hereposition
w e
havef or w
thi
rc
eh e
de certainlyuk e s
and was
notr clirqualified.d
nothingN
to
in credit
to o
is n the other side ; and I ask, wisthoutfear, any
manroom, whatever his poli‘iieal opinions may
be, whether he will stand up
after
say that he believes any one, of these bfaouver individuals
dduaanls
would have been appointed to office if he had not been a
duke or a marquis ? (No, no.) If not, then my case is
made out ; and when you have an, Administration sue.
seeding to all the faults, and uninstructed by any of the

examples held forth by the four Administrations whoa.;
history I Dave briefly narrated—when you have the pre.
sent Administration more exclusively composed than any
which has existed Since the revolution of 1688, while
men of energy, the men of genius, while men of talent,
are as much excluded from power as though theyhad the
taint of negro blood in their veins, then-I have aright to
say to you, "This is intolerable ; we can stand it no
longer as free and self-respecting men, and as tax-paying
citizens we cannot afford it." (Applause.)
After several other speeches, it was agreed that a cora:
mittee should be formed to co-operate with the metropo-
litan association, and -a petition to Parliament was
adopted, praying for administrative reform.

OFFICIAL DESPATCH PROM _FIELD-
MARSHAL -LORD RAGLAN.

(From a SuPplemMt to Tuesday's Gazette.)
WAR. DEPARThIENt,. MAI' 16.
Lord Pkannure has this day received a despatch
and its enclosure, of which the following are conies,
addressed to his lordship by Field-Mar3hal the Lord
Raglan, G.C.D.

Before-Sebastopol, May 1.
My. Lori,—l have little to report to your lordship
to-"day.

their advanced works, and they have constructed a new
The Russians continue acively engaged in covering
battery on their left of the Mamelon ; troops are con-
stanVy in motion on the north side, and there is every
appearance of the establishment of a very large camp
on the plateau above the Belbeck, extending towards
Mackenzie's Farm.
No
movement has been perceived on the Tchernaya.
that the Alma,
3have
Regimentth satisfactione
o Buffs t to
has acquaint
arrived
a i
a lordshipki
av a , thatand
the
- h dß-
reac e azutch g
i having the draft of the Guarde onboard,
Bay yesterday ; she has proceeded to
Balaklava to-day.
I inclose the lists of casualties to the 29th ult.
The. Lord Panmure I have, &c., RAGLAN. 1
, &c. ,
Return of Cr- -

Jamielties from the 23d to 26th of kpril, .1855.
inclusive.— 4th Regi meat of Foot : 1 rank and file wounded.
7th Foot: 1 rank and 'file wounded. 9th Foot: 1-sergeant,
and file k
1 rank.and file wounded. 14th Fhootv:olorank and file killed.
3 rank and .file wounded. 20t
ank andk
fileed
di rnaenfidki e a2n
killed,
rankl fie wounded. 30th Foot : 1 rank
and file wounded. 33d Foot : 1 rankt : aril
1 rank and file *minded. 34th Foot :
killed, 1 rank and file wounded. 38th Foot 1 rank
file wounded. 41st Foot : 2 rank and file killed, 4k "d
and
file wounded. 47th Foot : 4 rank and file wounded n
49th
Foot : 1 sergeant, 1 rank and file killed.; 2 rank and file
wounded. 50th Foot : 2 rank and file killed. 55th Foot :
1 rank and file wounded. 57th Foot : 2 rank and file
wounded. 62d Foot : 1 rank and file killed, 3 rank and
file wounded. 77th Foot-: 1 rank and file wounded. 88th
Foot : 2 rank and file wounded. 90th Foot : 1 rank and file
wounded. 97th Foot : 1 rank and file killed, 1 rank and
file 'wounded. Royal Artillery : 2 rank and file killed, 2
rank and file wounded. Total : 1 sergeant, 14 rank and
file, killed ' • 1 sergeant, 35 rank and file, wounded.
Nominal Return of Non-Commissioned Officers and Pri.
vates Killed, from the 23d to 26th April, inclusive.-33d
Regiment of Foot: Private William Ryan. 34th Foot :
Private Richard Pinkard. 41st Foot : Privates John CO.
nolly and John Kean. 30th Foot : Private Thomas Walsh.
50th Foot : Privates Thomas Dalton and John Flynn.
62d Foot : Private Patrick Donovan. 234 Foot : Private
James Harvey. 49th Foot : Sergeant Henry Headen, Pri-
vate William White. 97th Foot : Private Michael Crongh.
14th Foot : Private Matthew BliOrdy. Royal Artillery :
Gunner Wm. Henderson, Acting Bombardier Jas. Gunn.
Nominal Return of Non-Commissioned Officers and Pri-
vates Wounded from the 23d to 26th April inclusive.-
20th Foot : Private Sydney Johnson, slightly. 33d Foot :
Private Owen Callaghan, severely, 34th Foot : Private
Christopher Rostron, slightly. 41st Foot : Privates Jason
Kennedy, dangerously, mince dead ' • Michael Conway, se-
verely ; • John Sullivan, severely ; John Thomas severely.
62d Foot : Privates David Amos, severely ; Patrick Mark,
slightly; George Simpson, severely. 77th Foot : Private
James Powell, dangerously. 88th -Foot : Lance Corporal
Henry Ilueston, severely; Private Patrick Foley, severely.
7th Foot : Private Charles Firth, severely. 14% Foot :
Privates William Lock, slightly; Thomas Woodhall,
slightly ; Patrick 31`Govern severely. 47th Foot : Pri-
vates John Tully severely; Patrick Griffin, severely; Jas.
Clancy, dangerously. Royal Artillery: Acting
Mays,
bar-
dier, Robert James, slightly; Gunner John
se-
verely. 23d Foot : Private. William Taylor, severely.
49th Foot: Corporal Thomas Willis, slightly; Priva e
Robert Thomson, dangerously, since dead. b7th Foot :
Privates Samuel Hill, slightly; John Barden, slightly.
90th Foot : Private Peter Hepburn, severely. 97th Foot :
Private Wm. Quant, severely. 4th Foot : Private George
Oaks, severely. 9th Foot : Sergeant James Voss, se-
verely ; Private Patrick 'Power, slightly. 30th Foot :
COrporal Alexander Cole; slightly ' • Private Michael Mac-
gaire, slightly. 33th Foot : Private John Pukett, severely.
:sth Foot : Private John Taylor, dangerously.
Return of casualties from the 27th to the 29th of April,
inclusive.-2d Battalion Ist Regiment of Foot :1 rank and
file wounded. 7th Foot : 1 rank and file killed. 14th
'Foot: 2 riti4c and file wounded. 19th Foot : 3 rank and -
file wounded. 23d Foot : 1 rank and file wounded. 34th
Foot : 7 rank and file wounded. 38th Foot : 2 rank and
file wounded. 41st Foot : 8 rank and file wounded. 48th
Foot : 1 rank and file ki led, 1 rank and file wounded.
49th Foot :1 rank and file killed, 1 ra'nk and file wounded.
55th Foot : 1 rank and file wounded. 57th Foot : 1 rank
and file wounded. GM Foot : 1 rank and file wounded.
figth Foot : 1 rank and file wounded. 89th Foot : 2 rank
and file wounded. 9ath, Foot : 2 rank and file wounded.
97th Foot : 1 rank and file wounded. 23 Battalion Rifle
Brigade: 1. rank and file wounded. Total —3 rank and file
killed, 36 raukand file wounded.
-Nornitial Return of Non-Commissioned Officers and Pri-
vates killed from the 27th to 20th April, 1535, inclusive-
7th Foot : Privata T. Byrne. 48th Mot : Private Thos.
Richardaon. •49th Foot : Private ..Tobn Burke.
Nominal Return of Non-Counnissioued Officers and Pri-
i,ates wounded from the 27th to 20th April, 1855. inclu-
! Ida —F.2.1, B. aglv",7o .!v.,!mFoo.rtrrli'sroinvatmeol:acyttllacselitatls-:
private Patrick Canty, slightly. 4,9 th Foot : Private ,J.
Delaney, slightly.. 4Stli Foot: Private Robert Berwick,
severely. 55th Foot : Lance-Corporal Edmund Burke,
slightly. 9,lth Foot : Private Joseph Harper, severely;
PrivateWui. Miller, severely. .97th Foot : Pi ivate Michael
Maloney, severely. 3?-th Foot : Private E. Manson, se-
verely; Private J. Miller, 'severely. 57th Foot : Private M.
Stagpool,, severely. 6:d Foot : Private J. M`Laughlin se-
verely. 68th Foot: Private J. Rogerson, de. 89th Foot: 'Cor-
poral Wm. Love, dangerously ; Private T. Dixon, severely.
2d Battalion Rifle Brigade ; Private T. Parkinson, danger-
ously. 19th Foot : Corporal Thomas Keating, slightly ;
, Privates Edward Tyler and Michael Tolan, severely. 23d
Foot : Private Lock Haynes sevcrely., 31th Foot : Pri-
vates William Gorman and Joseph Mansfield, danger-
ously ; James .11.`Gowan and. George Atchison, severely;
John Roach, Ralph Ilinscoe, and. TUB. Lovejoy, slightly.
41st Foot>: Privates DennicConnell, Thomas Davis, and
:`Ready,
Regan, severely • Patrick Kearney, John 'isady,
r Patrick O'Halloran, Patrick Tremble, and Jas. Kennedy,
slightly. - - ,_

A Return of Cssualtios in the Royal Naval Brigade, be-
fore Sebastopol, in the week ending April 27,18:i5.--Killed:
Benjamin Taylor, A. 8., Queen. Wounded : Geo. Boyle,
A. 8., Queen, slightly ; John Collins; Ord., London
slightly ; Robert Baker, Ord., Queen, dangerously ; Wm.,
Clarke, (2d), Ord., Queen, slightly. Contused : Lieut. A.
A. Douglas, R. M.A., slightly ; Edward Smith, A. 8.,
Leander, slightly ; Jeremiah Mahoney, Ord., Rodney,
slightly; John Gordon, Ord., Queen, slightly. Total : 1
killed, 4 wounded, 4 contus.d.

RUMOURED RETIREMENT OF COU.NT

DE BUOL AND M. BACH.

(From the Debate.)

The rumour circulate I at Vienna that these two Mi.
nisters were on the point of retiring, and this intelli-
gence was transmitted to Paris by telegraphic despatches:
it was an absurd rumour to which we attached no credit,
because it was contradicted by information we had our-
selves received direct from Vienna. M. Bach and M.
de Buol have not ceased to possess the confidence of
the Emperor, their master. It is to them, to
them alone, that must be attributed the conduct
which Austria has held in the midst of the diffi-
culties with which she has been beset for three years.
Internally, M. Bach and M. de Buol have already intro-
duced into the administrative departments and in the
organisation of the empire important innovations ; ex-
ternally, they have traversed with an ability not to be
questioned the phases so numerous and complicated of
the Eastern question. M. Bach is specially charged
t
with the internal concerns of the empire, but he is not
without influence upon external policy ; it is he.ow_,
in reality the first Minister of the Emperor;
fily.iniden=t
is but the second. M. de Bach has
airn the bands of a
is astonished to see so much authoriity
ion
his high position offends the Austrian
a of 1848, and
statesman unknown before the re.voo
The aristocracy
who owes nothing to his connexi Bach ; it is r Inem.
• •n of M. -
has not forgotten the orig,
broke out at Vienna in
bered that to the whichturnuelts_efere
which M. de Metternich
the month of March, a
ed b
b owed his elevation to the Mi-
ParsteerracY, which
was obliged to retireo_ni
the morrow, M. de Bach com-
wmaerttozsetnabnedr
g restored fast,
es
taonrde
ahehsitmrutgoglhedis
nistry of Justitce .r .
, against the violence of his ow
with a rare S
So when . the revolutionists obtained a
par•
Vienna in the month of October, 13".
session of 1848, M
. compelled to give in his resignation Bach wag c b 1" ; hut, 9,
just return,
prehended that
;. Cabinetwhich he f
place i. the o •
formed on 21st Nov.,
laving triumphed over the insurrection. The ' after
still farther, for he did net delay confiding prince went
the portfolio of the luteriorinJul 18 to M. Bach
zenberg is the true author of the y, 49. M. de Schwart-
whose resolute character andfertilefortune of M. Bach, of
just estimate. Thesequalities genius he made a
prince, who himself w were agreeable to the
spirit of enterprise, ai not exempt from a certain
It is related that i
berg was • n his last days Prince Schwartzen-
. incessant in his recommendations of M.
Bach to the Emperor i •
Majesty,' said the prince,
Francis Joseph. ' Let not your
M. Baeli is tln p ince,. ever separa.te him from 3,,,t30u1!
Ito restrain onlytt i 111
.Austriatt, w,liio(l).,sreitu.tatcep . ,s
them.t
He will Protect you revolutionaryaaiiistptalienaavid' fli,i-h'by placing
them at your feet.' INI liteit has' m.'rlert:tke,i to reform
tho internal rj4ime of the empire. Wi!l fie succeed in
it ? \Viii lie find the just measure of
the degree of
auClority which it is necessary to concede to the new
iitt Tests, without disgusting old interests, and without
of, the Crownl
t enfeebling the rights and prerogative: i
~
alone canst Ye.
I Prublem which the future
a'roti

TEM /ANNIVERSARY OF HOLY TIIURSDXY.—This morn.
ing, the parochial officers of the various metropolitan
districts proceeded round the several parishes, in accord-
ance with the annual custom, for the purpose of beating
the bounds. The charity-school boys accompanied
the overseers, churchwardens, trustees, &e., to the out-
skirts and remote places, where the boundary stones
were alnxed and duly marked. The children were
regaled at the close of the day, and the parochial officers
dined together after the performance of their duties.

[mpERIAL PARLIAMENT.

SOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
;4' PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time :—The
Abingdon Railway, and the Limerick and Castleconnel
Railway.
The following bills were read a second time :--The
'Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln Railway (Capital),
the Thames Emb, nkment and Railway, the Alford and
Boston Road, and the East Kent Railway.

PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented by hon. members
from places in various parts of the kingdom against the
Maynooth grant and in favour of the abolition of
church rates. One of the latter, presented by Mr.
Hadfield, from Sheffield, contained the signatures of up-
wards of 4 000 inhabitants, and another by Mr. Watson,
from Hull, with the same purport, the signatures of a
like number of the inhabitants. Petitions, with the same
object, were laid on the table by Sir G. B. Pechell,
from the inhabitants of Brighton ; also by Viscount Go-
clench, from Huddersfield ; and by Mr. Brocklehurst
(three), from Dissenting congregations in Sheffield,
against church rates.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE CRIMEAN
MEDALS BY THE QUEEN.
Mr. W. 0. STANLEY said he wished to put a
question to her Majesty's Government, but as there was
no probability of his being able to obtain an answer to-
day he would give notice that he should ask it to-mor-
row. He wished to know whether there was any inten-
tion on the occasion of the interesting ceremony of the
distribution of the Crimean medals by her most gracious
Majesty the Queen, of setting apart a space for the ac-
commodation of members of that house who might wish
to attend—(hear, hear)— and he was further desirous
that some information should be afforded to the public
as to how persons who might have relatives amongst
those who were to receive the medal, or who might be
anxious to witness the ceremony, could have an oppor-
tunity of doing so. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. R. PHILLIMORE presented a petition from
certain Episcopalian Dissenters from the Established
Church of Scotland, praying that any measure for re-
lieving the property of English Dissenters from assess-
ments to the maintenance of the fabric of the Established
Church in England may be extended to the property of
Scotch Dissenters from the Established Church in Scot-
land.