The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-20 00:00:00

DUTY ON RAGS.

Lord STANLEY asked the Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Aff,%ir.a whether her Majority's Government.was

in communicati• n with any foreign Power with a view to
the reduction or abolition of the export duty imposed by the
latter on rags; and whether there would be any objection
to an early production of the correspondence.
Mr. LAYARD said the subject had not been lost sight
of by lam. Majesty's Government, and, as negotiations with
Austria, Portugal, and other States were proceeding, ho
trusted the question would not be then pressed.
SALARY OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
CHARITY BOARD.

Mr. FERRAND asked the First Commissioner of the
Charity Board, in what act of Parliament the clause was in-
serted which increases the salary of the secretary from
£6OO to £9OO ; and whether public notice was given to the
house that such clause was intended to be inserted ?
Mr. LOWE said he had hoped the hon. member who
had access to the act of 1860 would have taken the trouble
..of informing himself on the subject—(laughter)—but as the
hon. member had not done so, he (Mr. Lowe) bad done so him-
sclf. The ofLer in question was a barrister, and as there had
been an increase in his duties it was thought only just that
there should be an increase in his salary. He availed him-
self of that opportunity to make a personal explanation
in reference to what he had Paid on a previous
evening, and he wished it to be understood that
it was not his intention to have said anything dero •
gatory to the commissioners of the charity, which he con-
sidered one of the ablest, most industrious, and honourable
bodies in her Majesty's service.
REMOVAL OF THE ASSIZES FROM YORK.

Mr. MORRI fT asked the secretary of State for the
Home Department, whether it was finally decided that the
assizes should be moved from York to any other place ?
Sir G. GREY said that no final decision had been
come te, and no opinion had been expressed on the
subject, but assizes must always necessarily be held
at York. It was recommended that assizes should be held
at Leeds, but there could be no decision on the subject
until there had been an order in Council.
GOVERNMENT ANNUITIES BILL. _ _

Mr. H. B. SHERIDAN asked the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether it is was intention to proceed with the
Government Annuities Bill this evening,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said ho
had no objection to postpone the bill, and regretted that its
object had not been properly understood. Ho would there-
fore postpone the committee until Monday week.
THE CAPTURE OF BRITISH VESSELS.
In reply to Mr. S. FITZGERA.LD,
Mr. LAYARD repeated the statement he had made the
other evening as to instructions having been given to Lord
Lyons on the subject of the Saxon, who had communicated
with the American Government, and an investigation
was ordered by Mr. Seward, which was going on, He
believed that his noble friend (Earl Russell) had been
_misunderstood as to what he was reported to have said on
this subject,but the papers that were laid on the table of the
other house would be presented as a matter of course to this
house.
RUMOURED INTENTION OF THE AUSTRIAN
AND PRUSSIAN FORCES TO ENTER JUT-
LAND.

Mr. NEWDEGATE asked the First Lord of the Tre a-
*Airy' whether, in the event of the Austrian and Prussian
force s entering, or proposing to enter, Jutland, her Majes-
ty's Government would not consider such action or inten.
tion as inconsistent with the plea upon which the German
forces have entered Holstein and Schleswig, and, therefore,
requiring more energetic and decisive action, diplomatic or
otherwise, on the part of her Majesty's Government in the
sense of the treaty of 1852 ?
Lord YA.LMERSTON—We have no definite accounts
of the intentions of these Governments to enter Jutland.
The only information on the subject was that contained in
the newspapers; it is to the effect described by the hon.
member. No doubt such an entrance would be considered
anaggravation of the violent outrage and injustice which,
in our opinion, has been committed by the entrance into
Schleswig, by which great sacrifice and bloodshed had taken
place, and for which the two Governments (Austria and
Prussia) were answerable. (I;eer, hear.) With regard to
the latter part of the questi▪
on as to what change of course
the Government would be ready to take in the event
alluded to, without intendi▪
ng disrespect to the hon. mem-
ber or the house, I must decline any „ewer as to the future
policy,

GOVERNMENT ANNUITIES BILL.
Mr. SIIERID AN asked the Chancellor of the Ex. chequer
whether it was his intention to proceed with the Govern_
ment Annuities Bill this evening ; and whether, ton.idering
that the title of the bill does not fully convey the real ob-
jects of the bill, and that the bill hitherto has pawed through
two stages, without being fully understood, and, further,
considering the great interests affected by the propoaed
alteration of the law, he would have any objection to post-
pone for a short time the further consideration of the
measure.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had no objection to postpone a short time the further
consideration of the measure, for
the objects of which ho re-
gretted had not been perfectl understood. Ho would post-
pone the committee until Monday week.m
THE MURDER OF
tR. GRAY.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD
ed to the American
what was the
date of the despatch address
of Mr.
Gray.emen Government
murder
with reference to theA t the same
time he would ask another question. On Friday last he
had moved for papers relating to the cage of ls
and Jessie and other vessels, but the Governmentlarerfaret
to produced them. Since then the noble lord at the head of
the Foreign-office had consented to the production of those
despatches. (Hear.) Ile wished to know whether they
would be laid on the table of this house also, with regard
to the Saxon, he might state that he referred to the murder,
not to the capture of the prize.
Mr. LAYARD said the first information Was received
by her Majesty's Government towards the end of Decem-
b3r, but the depositions were not widereceirom New York
until about the 20th of January. y were imme-
diately sent to the law officers of the Crown. Their re-
port was received on the 30th, and the same afternoon