The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-22 00:00:00

THE SPANISH SLAVE TRADE.

Lord BROUGHAM reverted to the discussion which
took place on this subject the other evening for the purpose
of correcting a misapprehension which existed as to the
observations that fell from him. In censuring the Spanish
governors of Cuba for taking bribes he specially excepted
General Dolce, who, to his great honour, refused to become
a party in any degree to the carrying on of the abominable
traffic. All he could say was that he only wished the other
Spanish colonial governors were half as good as General
Dolce, because then an end would soon be put to the slave
trade.

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY.'
L^rd REDESDALE moved that no petition, praying to
he heard against the Metropolitan Railway Bill, be received
by the house unless received before Friday.

The motion was agreed to.
BURIAL REGISTRATION BILL.
The report of amendments to this bill was brought up
and received.
WEIGIITS AND MEASURES.
Earl FORTESCUE moved the second reading of the
Weights and Measures (Metric System) Bill, which had
come up with the sanction of the Commons, and the advan-
tages c f which the noble earl dilated upon as being very
considerable alike in a commercial and s scientific point

of view.
The IN.trarquis of SALISRURY opposed the bill, on the
ground that it was an incomplete and unsatisfactory at-
tempt to substitute a French equivalent for the Imperial
standard by the use of decimal points that would not be
understood, and which could not touch the multifarious
weights and measures that did not come under the denomi-
nation of Imperial. Believing that the measure would be
utterly impracticable, he moved as an amendment that it be
read a second time that day three months.
The bill was also opposed by the Earl of D ONOUGH-
MORE.

The Duke of ARGYLL contended that the arguments
relied upon by the opponents of the measure were incon-
clusive, and that so far from the introduction of the pro-
posed system being complicated and hard to understand it
was marked by extreme simplicity as compared, for example,
with the system of weights and measures existing in Scot-
land, than which nothing could be more obscure or difficult

of comprehension.
The Earl of FLARROWBY also supported the bill, be-
cause it was requirt d by a large proportion of the mercantile
community, and its adoption would be permissive, not
compulsory.
Lord BROUGHAM was of opinion that the measure, if
passed, wi uld not only prove a great convenience to the
commercial classes, hut increase the spread of education by
relieving the poor from the trouble of mastering an anti-
quated and complex system, thus wasting time that might
more profitably be employed in the acquirement of other
branches of knowledge.
After a few words against the bill from the Earl of CAR-
:VARVON, and a brief reply from Earl FORTESCTJE, the
house divided, and the bill was read a second time by
34 to 23.

The Turnpike Acts Continuance, the Militia Pay, the
Registration of Deeds (Ireland), the Justices Proceedings
(Sussex), the Expiring Laws Continuance, the Highways
Acts Amendment, the lonian States Acts of Parliament
Repeal, and the Turnpike Trusts Arrangement Bills were
read a second time; as was also the Poisoned Flesh Prohi-
bition Bill, upon a division. by 31 to 18.
The Sale of Gas (Scotland), the Naval Discipline, and the
Local Government Alec (1858) Bills went through committee.
The Mutual Su: render of Criminals (Prussia), tbeTharnes
Embankment and Metropolis Improvements Loans, the Isle
of Man Harbour Act Amendment, and the Militia Ballots
Suspension Bias were read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening,
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Central Railway— Chittenden's Disabilities Removal—
E:lames' Estate—Great Northern and Western (of Ire-
land) Railway (No. l)—Great Northern and Western (of
Ireland) Railway (No. 2) Bill—Hubberston Docks Bill—
North Western Railway—Lord Harris' (Horsham,
Ail Souls College) Estate—and Millwall Canal, Wharfs,
and Graving Docks.
INTERFEILENCE IN COLONIAL AFFAIRS.

Mr A. MILLS gave notice that neat session he would
move an address to the Crown that British forces should
not be allowed to interfere in colonial matters.
ROYAL NAVAL AFFAIRS.

Mr C. BERKELEY asked the Secretary to the Ad-
miralty, if he considers that the officers of long
standing aad high rank in the navy are satisfied with the
recent distribution of pay, as lately gazetted, by which it
appears that their juniors will receive more than themselves;
and if he considers that the fact of officers receiving more
on the retired lists than those who remain on the active
lists will act beneficially in inducing officers to seek ser-
vice ; and if, considering the anomalies which have arisen
in t`ie various rates of pay, half-pay, retired pay, and re-
sery ed pay, her Majesty's Government would cause any
inquiry to be made either by Royai Commission or other-
wise.

Lord C. PAGET said that he had heard no complaints
on this subjP,ct from the officers of the royal navy, and
th ere was no reluctance on the part of naval officers to

enter into active service.

Mr MILLS said he did not consider the explanation
satisfactory, and that he would again draw the attention of
the house to this subject.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN STATE PAPERS.

Mr H. SEYMOUR asked the Under Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, whether a publication, called
" The British and Foreign State Papers," issued an-
nually, and edited by the Librarian of the Foreign Office,
was printed either wholly or in part at the public expense;
and, if so, whether such a selection might not be distributed
to members at the ordinary price of parliamentary papers
instead of being charged 30s a volume; and whether it
might not be brought up to the present time.
Mr LAYARD said that the State papers were printed
at the expense of the public. He said that the foreign
papers could be published fully if the house wished to
incur the expense. It would be impossible to produce
those foreign papers as rapidly as other State papers were
produced. The Secretary of the Foreign Library, who was a
gentleman of zeal and energy, published two volumes of
these foreign papers annually, and wished to publish three
annually.

DISEASED MEAT.
Mr CRAWFORD asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, whether Alex. Stewart, who was con-
victed at the Central Criminal Court in December, 1863, of
the offence of sending diseased meat from Scotland to Lon-
don for sale, and sentenced to pay a fine of £5O, and
imprisonment for the term of 12 calendar months, had been
liberated from gaol without payment of the fine ; and if so,
that he would state the grounds on which Stewart was so
liberated and the fine• remitted ; and, whether applic .tions
were not now before the Secretary of State for the remission
of punishments and penalties in other similar cases.—He
observed that during the past year no less than 114,0001 b.
of diseased meat and 76,001 b. of putrid meat had been
seized in the City of London.

S.r G. GREY said that an application to the Home
Office for a remission of the sentence was refused, and he
was liberated only on the statement of the visiting justices
of Holloway Prison, that further imprisonment would
aff,ct his health.