The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-24 00:00:00

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 A.lab2 ma was
a wooden ship originally, but the Research was an iron:-
plated vessel,
THE CONFERENCE. MINISTERIAL E..%:PLA.-
NATION.

Mr DISRAELI said—l feel called upon to ask froth the
noble lord the First Minister of the Crown an ex.p;lanation
in respect to the rumours as to the Conference, Bead / 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 e.nswer,
and all the information which her Majesty's G-ov.; rnmeet
could communicate. The Conference met yesterday after
the levee, and adjourned until Saturday next, w;leat 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)—and both myself and.
my noble colleague, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the
other house, shall feel it our duty also to accompany the
production of these documents with statements to 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 PALMERSTON—I have already stated that 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.
[APPEeitaxon OF THE HOUSE,—The importance at=
teehing to this subject had the effect of crowding the house
from an early hour, and almost every available space was
filled.]
WEIGHING OF GRAIN (PORT OF LONDON)
BILL.
On the order for the second reading of this bill,
Mr AYRTON moved that, inasmuch as the bill seeks
to enlarge and alter the powers of the corporation of the
City of London to levy a rate or duty, and to alter
existing rates and duties, on grain and seeds
imported into the port of London for the use
and benefit of the Corporation, this house was of opinion
that the bill ought not to be proceeded with until the stand-
ing orders relating to private bills be duly complied with.
Colonel W. PATTEN asked the Speaker to decide
whether the bill ought to proceed as a public or private one.
Tho SPEAKER said there were many precedents far
treating it as a public bill, but he thought it ought to be
referred to a select committee.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER agreed
with the right hon. gentleman, and said the Government
were determined to treat the bill on its merits only.
Mr Alderman ROSE defended the corporation from the
charges of Mr Ayrton.
After some debate, Mr AYRTON withdrew his amend-
ment and the bill was read a second time with a view to its
being referred to a select committee.
CONVENTS IN IRELAND.
The adjourned debate on Sir H. Cairns' motion, taking
objection to certain assistance afforded under the rules of
the Board of National Education in Ireland to convent and
monastic schools, was resumed by the O'Comeon DON,
who spoke at some length against the motion.
Mr BLACK said there could be no doubt that the funda-
mental principle of the national system in Ireland had been
violated by the rules of the commissioners, whom he would
now recommend to retrace their steps.
Mr HENNESSY contended that, in the face of the op-
position which the system had encountered in Ireland, it
was impossible that it could ever be successful, and moved,
as an amendment, to omit the words relating to convent and
monastic schools from the resolution, in order to make it
general in its terms.
Mr BLAKE having seconded the amendment,
Sir R. PEEL expressed a strong opinion in favour of the
national system of education as administered by the com-
missioners, and observed that if ever he had called anything
connected with it in question it had been solely from a de-
sire to maintain the institution in its integrity upon the
basis on which it was originally established—namely, the
social regeneration of tho people. It had encountered diffi-
culties of no common order, but it had surmounted them
all. If, however, the mixed system were to be substituted
by sectarian grants, a blow would be struck at the very root
of the system, for it would be contrary to the very idea that
had animated its founders. With regard to convent schools
they were a Part of the national system, with which they
had been connected since the year 1835; they had worked
well, and had 40,000 children attending them. On the
whole, he argued that the system of national education had
acted in harmony with the wants, wishes, and feelings c
the people of Ireland.

Mr G, HARDY said that the children who were edu-
cated in convent schools were, in fact, under a denomina-
tional system, for their teaching was entirely denominational
and sectarian, and it was these schools that had been de-
stroying Ihe district model Fchools. He was surprised that
the Chief Secretary had held out no hope of a remedy being
proposed to meet the evils that were complained of, and
recommended the institution of an inquiry into the whole
system by means of a royal commission.

The debate was continued by Mr Maguire, who supported
the amendment; Mr Butt, who opposed both resolution
and amendment; and Mr Lefroy, who supported the origi.
nal motion,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER argued
that the history ef the national system of education in
Ireland was that cf a series of modifications, the object of
which was to conciliate, support, and make the system as
universally acceptable as possible, and he denied that any
exceptional favour had been shown to convent schools.
The same favour had been offered to other schools, and
accepted by the Presbyterians; and if it had been re•
fused by the Episcopalians, they had themselves only to
blame.

Sir H. CAIRNS having replied,
After some observations from the ATTORNEY. GENERAL
for LtELIND and Mr WHITESIDE,
Mr HENNESSY said he would not press his amend-
ment if the hon. and learned gentleman would withdraw
his resolution. (Hear, hear.)

Sir G. GREY said the Government would vote against
the amendment, and then the division would be taken upon
the original resolution.
The house divided—
For Mr Ilennessy's amendment 8
Against
Majority —lO4

The house then divided on the original resolution, but
before the tellers handed in the numbers,
An HON. MEMBER called attention to the fact that Sir
G. Bowyer had given his vote for the Ayes and then voted
for the Noei.
The SPEAKER then callad the hon. baronet to the table
and asked him whether the fact was as just stated.
Sir G. BO WYER said that when the question was put
from the chair he had said "No," but afterwards, in order
to insure a division, he had thought it necessary to contra-
dict the Speaker. (Laughter and cheers.)
The SPEAKER said that under the circumstances the
hon. baronet having challenged the decision of the Speaker,
and said that the Ayes had it, his vote must be recorded
with the Ayes. (Laughter.)
The tellers then reported the numbers thus—

Ayes
Noes
Majority ..
The resolution was therefore rejected.
The Accidents Compensation Act Amendment Bill was
read a third time and passed.

Mr BARING obtained leave to introduce a bill to
authorise the enclosure of certain lands, in pursuance of the
report cf the enclosure commissioners.

kr Al. GIBSON obtained leave to introduce a bill to
amend the Harwich Harbour Act (1863).
The other orders were disposed of, and tile house ad-
journed at 10 minutes past 2 o'clock.

Bank of England Return,•--Last Evening.
______.

An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria,
cap. 32, for the week ending on Wednesday, the 22d day
of Juno, 1864:

DMZ DEPARTMENT.
Notes iesued Government Debt £11,015,1C0
Other Securities .. 3.634,900
• Gold Coin & Bullion 13,63(4385
Silver Bullion ....

£28,280,383'

128,280,335

-
Proprietors' Capi-
tal £14.553,000
Rest
Public Deposits (in-
cluding Exche-
quer, Savings'
Banks, Coranns.
missioners of Na-
tional Debt, and

EPARTMENT.
Government Seed-
rities_(including
Dead W eightAn-
nulty) £11,122,207
Other Securities 20,729,5,9
Notes
Gold and Silver 658,076
Coin

Dividend Ac-
counts) 9,-87,591
Other Deposits— 13,051,0(31
S other Bill
and
other Bills

452,477

£40,615,187
111. 1

£40,1#8,187
:ARSIIALL, Chief Ca hter

June 23, 1561,

THE REPRESENTATION OF EAST SUSSEX.—Vis-
count Peveneey, M.P., the Conservative member for
the eastern division of Sussex, has just issued an address to
his constituents, announcing his intention to retire from
the represf ntation of the county upon the dissolution of the
present Parliament. The reasons assigned for his lord-
ship's retirement are the heavy expenses attending a con-
tested election in Sussex, and also the precarious state of
his health.

A POLICEMAN IN A PULPIT.—The pulpit of King-
ston Wesleyan Chapel, Hull, was on Sunday occupied by
Mr Burroughs, a member of the Hull police force. The
service was to have been conducted by the Rev. Mr Grif-
fiths, but from some cause he could not attend ; Mr Bur-
roughs was consequently requested to take the pulpit. The
discourse, which was able, was listened to by a largo con-
gregation,