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

VIPER [AL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHSNCELLOR 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 circumstance that had appeared in the
papers of Saturday. A letter appeared, dated the 22d
inst., from Genoa, by which it appeared that, in
reference t 6 the Sardinian troops that had sailed
i
for the East, the Commissary-Generaln the
Crimea had declared himself unab to applysu those
troops with provisions. Unless there was a ttary convention entered into between us and the Sardi-
nian Government he aid not Barden. at this Governme.nt
bound itself to supply the
.contmgei. t 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 /0,000 rations a day.
He begged to ask the noble earl the Minister of War for
information on the subject.
Lord YANINIURE had heard with some surprise that
the isecessary supplies for the provisioning of the Sar-
dinian army bad 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 before the 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 Sir J.
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 of 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 PANMURE 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 PANM URE proposed another amendment,
which was also agreed to.
The bill was read 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 r;fle.
Lord PANMURE said, with respect to the arms, he
could not believe it possible that the report to which the
noble marquis referred had any foundation, or that any
of her Majesty's troops bad 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 had 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 worn, and not with their new suit ; but
the new was sent alter 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 we 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 be.en
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 propositions.
(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 sonic member of her
Majesty's Government will be 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, whe-
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. (Rear, 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, he 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.
FLOATING BATTERIES.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
LORD JOHN RUSSELL.

IRELAND.

The motion was agreed to without discussion.
PETITIONS.

Earl TALiOT;isrred—te'ask a question respecting
the floating batteries. He desired to know who was
the designer of these batteries, which he thought would
hardly answer the purpose for which they were intended,
and what was the contract price for constructing them ?
Lord PANMURE said he would answer these ques-
tions on a future day.
Their lordships then adjourned.

The noble lord the member for the City of London
was led to the table amidst cheers by Sir G. Grey and
Mr. Masterman, and took the oaths and his seat on his
re-election after having accepted the office of Secretary
of State for the Colonies.
THIRD READINGS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:
—Bristol and Exeter Railway ; Newport Corporation ;
Stourbridge Gas ; Surbiton Improvement ; East Indian
Railway Madras Railway.
The following bills were ordered to be considered :--
Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Railway ; Maryport
and Carlisle Railway; Oldham Gas and Water; Regent's
Canal (Hertford Union Canal).
The Edinburgh Lands Bill was read a second time.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ENGLAND AND

----------•
Sir W. HEATHCOTE moved that the third report
of the Select Committee on Railways (19th April, 1848),
and the report of the select committee on the Chester
and Holyhead Railway Bili (11th May, 1848), be re-
ferred to the committee on the bill for Improved Com-
munication between England and Ireland.

Petitions were presented—by Mr. H. W. Wickham, ;
from the inhabitants of Hartsheaid-cum-Clifton, in the 1
county of York, against the Maynooth Endowment ;
also from the board of guardians, Bradford union, York
county, praying that provision may be made by Govern-
ment for the support of the wives and families of mili-
tiamen when on duty with their regiments ;
also from the licensed victuallers in the borough and
parish of Bradford, Yorkshire, to the number of 206,
praying for the repeal of the act passed last session in-
tituled an Act for further regulating the Sale of Beer
and other Liquors on the Lord's-day ;by Mr. Pellatt,
from Southwark, for improvements in the Management
of the Metropolis Bill, and from a place in Kent, for the
abolition of church rates ; by Mr. Spooner, from St.
Martin's and St.' Thomas's parishes, Birmingham,
against the Maynooth grant, and petitions from
various parts of the kingdom praying that the
Brant may be withdrawn ; by Mr. Hadfield, from
bc,d. Manchester Law Association and other similar
frolztirn
_favour of the Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill ;
cLiireZ rJ. Pechell from Brighton, for the abolition of
from the at" ; by Mr. Disraeli, a number of petitions
ia favour of
by mr.
cuoowlath of Ireland, against the Maynooth grant ;
ooth
against the Mayn
°tilt!) petitions from various places in Scotland
Lord Advocate's Education Bill, and
THE BANK grant.
asked, with referenceutN-Governor
Mr. HlLDymt op ENGLAND,
from the Goveroori)ot
fo the
f.h e letter
Bank
of England to the CatinadnegeP
Vy 16 d oti the
wh Nether
re
hoof
hadth e
14th day of March, 1855, tatf. the Exchequer, dated the
I.7leriGhirjhre house the letter
house, the Chancellor of the
nor of the Bank ofr
any objection to lay on the ta
from the Governor and Deputry,,-ferrvect.„
the 12th Oct., 1554, therein
opinions of the standing counsel of the ta,' kand also the
Roundel' Palmer, also therein referred tqn?-' and of Mr.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
copy of any such letter had come into his n—said n°
and it was impossible for him to produce it. possession,
REPORTED RAISING OF THE SIEGE
.1.
...OF
SEBASTOPOL.
In reply to Mr. WARNER,
Sir C. WOOD said the telegraphic line was now com-
plete from the Turkish coast, but they were not aware
whether •it
was complete across the Danube. With re-