The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

TRIAL STAKES.

Lord of Linne
Diomed

Nine ran.

IMPERIAL FARLTAvEw,g

HOUSE OF COMMONS--This Day.
The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after one o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS, _ _

Several private bills were read a second time, and ordered
to be committed, and some bills were read a first time,

PETITIONS.

Some petitions were presented in favour of the allowance
of pensions to retiring medical officers attached to unions;
and for the repeal of the duty on fire and life insurance. "
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CRAWLEY.
Lord HOTEAM gave notice that on Friday next ho
would move for the production of certain memoranda issued
by Field-Marshal the Commander-in-Chief respecting the
conduct of Surgeon Turnbull, and in reference to the recent
court-martial at Alderahot.

- -------
CHAINS, CABLES, AND ANCHORS BILL.
Mr. LAIRD, in moving the second reading of this bill,
said that the object of the bill was to enable private manu-
facturers to erect testing machines, and so render them re-
sponsible for the manufacture of their own articles. The
London Society of Shipowners were in favour of the bill,
which would be of great benefit to small manufacturers.
He combat•ed some other objections to the bill, and said it
would not come into operation until June 1865.
Sir J. ELPHINSTONE seconded the motion, and ex-
pressed a hope that the bill would be allowed to go.into coin,
mittee when any improvement in detail oould be introduced,.
The expense that would result from the alteration in the law
would be insignificant when compared with the importance
of the subject to which it related. He quoted different
statistics to show that there was a great increase in the num-
ber in 1862 of the wrecks, which amounted to a loss of Ile
less than 325,043 tons, involving the loss of several hun-
dred lives, and jeopardising the lives of no less than 14,073
lives. Ninety-three of these disasters were occasioned by
the imperfectness of the chains and cables used.
Mr. HUTT said he would not oppose the bill, but con-
sidered that its provisions would not be adequate to prevent
fraud.
Alderman ROSE supported the bill, and remarked that
about 80 per cent. of the chains and cables manufactured
were below the proof required.
Mr. LINDSAY considered that the bill was unnecessary,
as the object it proposed was being carried out in Stafford-
shire, and other parts of the country where chains and
cables were extensively manufactured. the fact was,
that shipowners, for their own sake, would before long
use cables and anchors that were not properly tested.
If it were known that shipowners used chains and cables of
an inferior description it would injure their own interests.
He admitted the benevolence of the object, and if the bill
would effect only one tenth of that object it should have his
hearty support; but he denied that it would be attended
with such a result. He deprecated the interference of Par-
liament on this subject, which, he contended, would have
the effect of relieving manufacturers trom a personal
responsibiltty, which at present was imposed on them,
to produce articles of a good quality. Another
evil would be that all the small manutacturers would be
ruined and the trade thrown entirely into the hands of the
great manufacturers of /Staffordshire and Wales, which
would be a great injury to the interests of the shipowners
as well as the public generally. Moreover, by the bill no
chains and cables that were not tested were to be issued
after June, 1865, and those manufacturers whose stock
would of course beaeriously depreciated, would come to the
house, and justly, for compensation. He would not offer
any factious oppoeition to the bill being read a second time,
but he repeated that it would defeat the object in view, an
it was founded on false principles.
Mr. CAVE said he had no doubt there was necessity for
legislation on this subject. With reference to leaving, as
had been suggested, this subject to a committee of Lloyd's,
ic must be remembered that Lloyd's was a very private
company, whose determination one day might be cancelled
the next ; and he contended that it would be more advisable
to place on the statute book an enactment on a subject of
such importance. He agreed in the principle of the bill, but
considered that it required alteration in detail, and that many
committee, who should have to decide this question, the
Board of Trade and other public bodies should be repre-
sented.
Mr. BENTINCK supported the bill, and he believed
that unless they were compelled to do so, shipowners in
many cases would purchase not the best articles but the
cheapest. They had on record that a large number of
casualties had resulted from the use of bad chains and cables,
and although in some cases no human provision could pre-
vent disasters, still it was desirable that there should
be legislation in order to prevent a recurrence of
such disasters as might be averted. He thought
that their would be no difficulty in securing efficient articles
by the means of such being properly certificated. He con-
sidered their should be not only immediate but stringent
legislation on the subject. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HORSFALL supported the bill, and said that if the
Board of Trade were sincere in their desire to carry out st
measure of this nature they would not Rad any insuperable
difficulties in details. _

LLEFT SITTING.]

The -Price of Gold.

The quotation of gold at Paris Is about 4 per mille pm., wad
the short exchange on London is 25.35 per £1 sterling. on
comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £3
17s. lead. per ounce for standard gold, it appeal s that gold itr
about 3-10ths per cent. dearer in London than in Paris.
By advises from Hamburg the price of gold is 4231 per mark
and the short exchange on London is 13.4 i per £1 sterling..
Standard gold at the Englisn Mint price is, therefore, about
2-10ths dearer in London than in Hamburg

The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at
60 days' sight is 17lf to 172 k per cent., and the premium on
gold is about 57i per cent. At these rates there is a small
profit on the importation of gold from thelUnited Stales.

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.

Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. ...... Feb, lg.
via Marseilles ......... Feh. 14.
Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet........ Mar. 6.
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. Feb. 28.
China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Feb. 18.
via Marseilles ...Feb. 27.

Falkland Islands
.............
Gibraltar, via Southampton .................. Feb. 18.
India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.. Feb.
via Marseilles.... Feb• "-
India (Bombay), via Southampton .. Feb. 26.
via Marseilles Feb. 20.
Portugal.... ... . ................ Mar.. 6.
Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Feb. 18.
'via Marseilles Feb. 20.
Newfoundland
Oporto and Vigo
...... ..................... Feb. 19.1
U. S. and British N. Ain.eriea, by Brit. packet Feb. 26.
by U.S. packet
by Canadian packet Feb. 19.
W.C. of Africa,_ Madeira, and Teneriffe Mar. 10.
1 Feb. 29,
Mar. 11,
Bahamas, via New York ..............
....Feb. 29.
Mexico ......
Allenritosnll:Vanesdtßlnridtiusesh,
Columbiaincluding Chili, Peru,