The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-23 00:00:00

WEST END.

Sir J. SHELLEY gave notics that on Monday next
he would ask whether adequate arrangements had been
made by the Metropolitan Board of Works for relievint the
public thoroughfares from the pressure of traffic at Park-
lane.

ENGINEER OFFICERS EMPLOYED AT SOUTa

KENSINGTON.

In reply to Lord J. MANNERS.
The Marquis of HARTINGION said the duties cf the
officers and men of the Engineer corps employed at South
Kensington was not of a rei.timental character, and was
entirely limited to the local duties.
PRACTICE AT CROYDON.
Sir S. NOR.I2IiCO i'E asked the UudeT Secretry of
Stat- fir IVa.r wh.ither his attention lisd been called to the
situation 01 the butt which hits been erected for rill, practice
near the New Lroydon railway, between the St: e.ithaiu-
common and the Thornton-heath stations, and whether the
War-office is satisfied that the range can be used withcut
danger to the public ?
The Marquis of lIARTINGTON said that the arrange-
ments were under the control of an experienced officer,
and that he had made a very satisfactory report on the
subject.

THE ROYAL FORESTS.
Mr COX asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether
any steps had been taken to carry into effect the
ret.ommendaticn of the select committee on Royal Forests
(Essex), presented on the 9.h day of June, 1863, which
recommendation was as follows :—" Your committee
report that a considerable extent of ground has been en-
etc.:Aid without any consideration being paid for tho forestal
right of the Crown over them, which do not appear to
have been either purchased or redeemed; and your corn-.
mittee recommend that immediate steps be taken by the
Crown to assert its right, and to abate such inclosures.
Mr F. PEEL explained that the rights of the Crown in
reierence to this subject were of no pecuniary value, and it
had bren advised by the law officers of the Crown to dis-
pose of them.

THE KEARSAGE AND THE ALABAMA.
Sir J. HAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whether the attention of her Majesty's Government had
been drawn to the report of an action which took place last
Sunday between the United States frigate Kearsage, and
the Confederate ship Alabama; and whether they had con-
sidered the report of the Commander-in-Chief at Duvonport
on the preparation for battle of her Majesty's ship Research.
Whether, as the last-named report shows that this
class of ship cannot fight her guns with advantage,
and the first-named report shows that she will easily
be de,troyed in action, her Mnjesty's Government will
continue to build ships which cannot be expected either to
fight or swim, And further to ask, as the advantage of
guns of large calibre has been so clearly shown in Le
above-named action, whether her Majesty's Government
will at once obtain a proper supply of large rifled guns for
the service of the navy?
Lord C. PAGET said that what the hon. member men-
tioned in the first part of his question had nothing whatever
to do with the Research, and the other matters were merely
of detail. The commanding officer of the Research, who
was a young and intelligent man, had informed him that he
was satisfied as to her fighting qualities. The Alabama was
a wooden ship originally, but the Research was an iron-
plated vessel.
THE CONFERENCE. MINISTERIAL EXPLA-
NATION.

Mr DISRAELI said—l feel called upon to ask from the
noble lord the first minister of the Crown an explanation
in respect to the rumours as to the Conference, and I wish
to know if the noble lord has any communication to make
with regard to the proceedings of the Conference the pre-
vious day.
Lord PALMERSTON—This question was a very natu-
ral one, and of a nature that required an explicit answer ;
and all the information which her Mejesty's Government
could communicate. The Conference met yesterday after
the levee, and adjourned until Saturday next, when I un-
derstand it will meet early, and it will be proposed
that this shall be the last meeting of the mem-
bers. It will be my duty to lay all the papers
in connection with the Conference on the table of
the house on Monday—(hear, hear)—,end.both myself and
my noble colleague, the Secretary for Foreign Affaire in the
other house, shall feel it our duty also to accompany the
production of these documents with statements in reference
to the transactions connected with the proceedings of the
Conference. (Hear, hear.)
Mr HUNT wished to know if the Conference were to
meet for business, or merely as a formal matter to break
up their sittings.
Lord PALMER.STO'N—I have already stated thnt the
Conference will meet on Saturday next for the last time,
but I cannot say what they will do on that occasion.

Mr. DISRAELI—I hope the papers will be in the
hands of hon. members on Tuesday next.
Lord PALMERSTON said that he trusted such would
be the case.

[APPEARANCE OF THE HOUSE,—The importance at-
taching to this subject had the effect of crowding the house
fr.= an early hour, and almost every available space was
tilled.]