The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.

The SPFJ.IEER took the chair at 20 minutes past 12.
THE PATENT LAWS.

Sir M. PET 0 asked the noble lord (Lord Stanley) when
the report of the commissioners on patent laws would be
presented to the house.
Lord STANLEY said the report had been finally settled,
and he had no doubt it would be made in a few days.

SUPPLY.
Mr MASSEY brought up the report of the committee
of supply.
On the vote of £2,000 on account of the Ashantee war
being read, Sir H. 'W ILLOUGHBY wished to know
whether the vote of the local expenses of the
Ashantee war was not for money which had been
already expended. He should also like to know
what the intentions of the Government were with respect
to the fatura. He thought it was absolutely necessary
that some check should be placed upon colonial governors
in granting public money, and it would be important to
know whether the vote now before the house would cover
the whole of the Local Government expenses already in-
curred.

Mr, F. PEEL said the vote properly belonged to the
Colonial 'office, and in the absence of his hon. friend, the
uader secretary for that department, he could not give a
positive answer on the subject. He believed that the vote
was to cover expenses already occurred. Governors of
colonies could not, except in important and exceptional
cases, pay advances from the Treasury chest.
The report was then agreed to.
WAYS AND MEANS.

Mr. MASSEY brought up the report, which was
agreed to.
ARMY AND NAVY EXPENDITURE.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY made several objections to the
manner in which the army department was conducted in
reference to our estimates.

Mr CHILDERS entered into some detail in reference to
the navy expenditure. The estimates had been increased
by two causes; first, by the transport of troops to Canada;
and, secondly, by the New Zealand war.
Gen. PEEL thought the excess of the estimates was
unavoidable.

The report was agreed to.
PUBLIC WORKS (MANUFACTURING DIS
TRICTS) ADVANCES BILL.
The report of this lodl was agreed to.
IAYROVEMENT OF LAND ACT (1564) BILL,
This bill passed through committee.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES BILL.

On the order for going into committee on tkis bill,
Mr AYRTON thought the bill should be sent to a
select committee. It applied to Chatham, Portsmouth,
Plymouth, Colchester, and other places, and if it referred
to soldiers he should have no objection to it. The bill pro-
vided for informations without oath, and was of a very in-
quisitorial character. He thought that such a bill should
not pass without further evidence and investigation.
He could only characterise the bill as one for the propa-
gation of immorality and vice. He thought it disgraceful
on the part of the authorities of the army and navy to be
obliged to introduce this measure, which was, in effect, one
to make the wants of the army superior to the law of the
land.
Sir M. PET 0 defended the bill, and said it was one which
would be attended with the best results, and for years he
did not think that Parliament had entertained a subject EO
beneficial to the army and navy as the one now before them.
The motion had been considered in the kindest and most
careful manner, the great object being to reform and make
useful those which were a pest to society.
The house then went into committee on the bill, and the
various clauses, with some verbal amendments, were agreed
to. The bill as amended was then reported to the house.
The sitting was shortly after suspended,
The SPEAKER resumed the chair at six o'clock.
EDUCATION.

Lord PALMERSTON said on Monday next ha should
move, with reference to the rt-port upon education, that
the resolution of the house, of the 12th of April, be re-
scinded.

In reply to a question from Mr WYLD,
LAYARD stated that the Government had received
information that Prussian troops had fired upon the Nor-
wegian mail-steamer at Frederickehaven, in Jutland ; but
it was not stated that there were Eoglish passengers on
board, or that the vessel was landing passengers. The
explanation of the circumstance was that the Prussian
forces had mistaken the steamer for a Danish vessel engaged
in the landing of troops.
Mr WYLD said there were several British subjects on
board, who were placed in the utmost jeopardy by the
Prns3ian fire.
A question from Sir J. WALSH elicited from Mr CARD.,
WELL that it was intended by the new Government of Canada
to mature a measure for settling the constitution of the
privinces by the application of the Federal principle to
Canada itself, and the introduction into the union of the
maritime provinces of the western territory. When these
measures were meta ed they would be communicated to
Parliament.

In answer to Mr S. FITZGERILD,
Tho :Marquis of HARTINGTON said that two com-
panies of a British regiment had been despatched from
Hong Kong to Japan, and that the total British forces in
the latter country, irrespective of marines, was now KO
men.

THE KAFFIR WAR.
Mr VANSITTART asked whether there was any truth
that We wore on the eve of another Kaffir war.
Mr CARDWELL replied that he had read a telegram
oil the subject in the evening
papers, but that no informa-
tion et the kind had reached the Government,
THE PAPER TRADE.
Mr MA.GLIRE moved for a select committee to inquire
into the present position of the paper manufacture of Great
Britain with respect to foreign taxation. The hon. gentle-
man
said that owing to the operation of treaty with France
the British papermaker found himself unable to compete
with the foreigner, as, although he boasted of having ac-
cepted free trade in its widest
branch of native industry tthlaetitude, we exposed
protective
duty evils of the protecu
system. Owing to the exportdon lags the manufac-
turers of paper were placed at a disadvantage vantage which neither
improved machinery nor increaseda could counter-
balance. Ho also read a number of letters from paper-
makers in various parts of the United Kinrgaeo
most discouraging account of their prospects,raaiYing a
that, unless some remedial measures were adoptedabtaytitnhge
Government, ruin must inevitably overtake them.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
was a very explicit statement, and he would endeavour to
meet it in the manner it had been given by tho hon.
gentleman; but he could not give an abstract statement as
to what Government would do at a future time, because
circumstances might occur in the interim which would ran•
der such a committee undesirable. He would say that the
Government, as a Government, had no desire to evade any
inquiry, and it would be in that spirit that they would next
session meet the motion of the hon. gentleman. He quite
agreed with him that if a committee were appointed it should
be appointed speedily ; and as it was the feeling of that
house that a committee of this kind should be appointed,
they would not find the Government opposed to it. The
hon. gentleman said that a gentleman of the name of
Wilson. in 1853, devised a penny in the pound customs duty
—not as any protection to the paper xnanufacttuers, but as
an equivalent to the duty on rags abroad. NOW hid 1112-