The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-17 00:00:00

articles on which the duties have been repealed, and the
amount of such duties.—Agreed to.
WAR ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.
Mr. HUME inquired whether the Government were
prepared to lay on the table any information with re-
gard to the causes of the war on the west coast o
Africa, in which 70 men and officers had been killed or
wounded.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he would have no objection
to lay on the table the correspondence which had passed
on the subject.
EAST INDIA COMPANY'S CHARTER.
Mr. FOX MAULE gave notice that on Friday next,
the 27th, he would move for the appointment of a Select
Committee to take into consideration the present state
of the atlairaof the East India Company, and to inquire
into the operation of the Act of William IV., and to
report thereon to the House.
IRISH CENSUS.
In reply to Mr. HA MILTON,
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said the general census of
Ireland for 1851 would not be completed till August in
the present year. He would, however, be able to lay
some statements before the House in regard to the po-
pulation when the Irish Franchise Bill camp under
discussion.
MANCHESTER AND SALFORD EDUCATION
BILL.
In reply to Mr. W. PATTEN,
Mr. BROTHERTON stated that he had agreed to
postpone the second reading of his Bill until Wednesday
week.

The order was then read and fixed for that day.
EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND.
In reply to Mr. MACKENZIE,
Lord J. RUSSELL stated that a measure was in Pre'
partition on the subject of education in Scotland, which
he hoped to bring in in the course of the present session.
FIRE IN THE HOUSE.
Mr. SPOONER wished to know whether Lord Sey-
mour could give the House any information with regard
to the fire, or alarm of fire, in a Committee-room of
the House on Saturday?
Lord SEYMOUR said he had not yet received a re-
port upon the subject, but he had heard it arose from an
mane of gas.
POPULATION RETURNS.
Sir B. HALL said a return of the number of electors
in the different towns had been made out and delivered
this morning, which was inaccurate as to the numbers
returned for Finsbury and Marylebone; and he should
be glad to know if it was intended to correct these iliac-
euradee?
Slr G. GREY was not aware that there were any, but
he would make inquiry into the matter.
Sir DE LACY EVANS said Westminster was re-
turned as containing a population of 120,000, whereas
it was 220,000.
Mr. GEORGE 'PHONIPSON said a similar mistake
had been made in reference to the Tower Hamlets.
HARWICH ELECTION.
Sir DE LACY EVANS gave notice that he should
to-morrow move that a new writ be issued for the
borough of Harwich without previous notice.
THE MILITIA.
Lord J. RUSSELL then moved that the part of her
Majesty's Speech which related to the raising of the
militia bo read. This having been done, the Noble Lord
moved that the House do resolve itself into a Coln"
mitten for the purpose of taking into consideration the
lees relating to the militia.
Mr. HUME hoped the Noble Lord would state what
was to be done before going into Committee.
He saw no necessity fur calling out the militia;
on the contrary, be thought such a proceeding would,
ppr,,oaieleueebolegrpeaarttieetsel
farentud mtheecihr chounutfuessio, ne,nads
tithuwsoubled
the
l
th
means of breaking up their businesses.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought it better to state what
he intended to be done when they got into Committee,
as the House would then have the opportunity of asking
questions upon the details.
Mr. REYNOLDS wished to know if the proposed
measure was to apply to Ireland.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he would state 1.0
Committee.
The House then went into Committee, when
Lord JOHN RUSSELL again rose and said, in 048
he made a statement to the House with respect to the
defences of the country, and in the course of tlist
statement he said he thought it would be desirable
it;
form a foundation for a permanent reserve force in t 0
country, to meet the wants of the active service in Os.
of attack. Unfortunately the proposition for
militia force did not meet with any very geae-
ral approbation, and it was ultimately withdrawn•ho
(Hear.) Ho merely recalled the recollection 0C !„,
House to the circumstance to prove that in the opis'' e
of the Government it was then, as indeed it was now, l,ss
to make some additional provision for the defence of the
country.—(Hear, hear.) At that time King Lou!
Phlilipe was on the throne of France, and there was al::
sign whatever of any approaching danger; nets
indeed, was there any now, but it was lie di.
theless still necessary to make some ""
tional provision for the peace of the countrp
without in any way intending to throw any doubt uPen
the assurance of her Majesty that we were at pace'
and hoped to remain so, with all the world." 7
(Hear, bear.) But at the same time it never could..n,e.
as sysrm. countryedv
vt hoe aomtu
might
h etboefu._snretcri
secure
et inauf
rceettmh have
positionvhe e
tdos
url iegkpeeer
repel
uh
fa t
voif, r
seiner tier
gression on the part of seine powerful enemi'toe the
wees werehiE übreopuendtebydetfreenadtytitiLl leap t°
Of
might have some dispute with respect In the
right of some of her Majesty's subj,cts abroad•
third
many
place,
es° act to
attack.
An Hon. MEMBER asked what countries ? A by'
Lord JOHN RUSSELL s • aid we were bowl- „„i
treaties,Queen of Fortl3s
for instance, to protect the ln the
and other similar states en the continent. had
fourth place, fur more than a century we ested
been closely connected and deeply inruroPe'
in the maintenance of the Continental system of - resist
and under that system we might be called upon In the
any aggrandizsment or increase of power na tbst
in case
part of any state that was a party te
w
system, or to maintain our moral strength .eot of
corresponding with foreign nations upon the sub that
any supposed or actual increase of territory red
wuy.—(l-lear, hear.) It was necessary to he Pre:a/elf
for such emergencies as those, but unfortuarieen
there was another question which bad for a
topican and in
iu
rbso books, in of late years to show the necessity
so much
reserved militia force, and which had been hie in
mreavdieewas
the other side of the Channel, briefly'
was quite unnecessary for him to more than that
that
allude to it.—(Cheers.) He referred to the a.esion
since the invention of the steam teloenvsTjored
iiilvtPballjPt.shhisetsaetdt
this country could no longer be riy,
ob
so saes from aggression as it was for weby the
un invasion was rendered almost impossible
stacks which nature had thrown in the way 'of
Those 0
obstacles or at least marl .ore
had, however, or
in a great Inea'svigation
moved by the development of steam nfficnity el
and there was now no longer the sanicstaedt
formerly.
effectiug a landing upon our coast Sso'rcuexmist it 01
—(llear, hear.) Now, under these
the militia, the
thought necessary to reorganizeuuturious fact that this
more so, as it was a
so large a military force
up
country did not keep d.d
to
hence this was a
for its protection as t all its nei ghbours,
subjectl3
which in the peculiar eta
of continental affairs called for the immediate attention
Hear, hear.) He would sal
of the Leglature--( our
and only a few words, with regard to
few words, he
With respect to our naval forces
military forces.
resent,
make a single observation at to
believing that it would be much better '.l
hie Right Honourable Friend the First Le!,b
of the Admiralty to disclose what was to be done w"l,,
that branch of the subject on a future occasion.--(3esbe
bear ) Now, with respect to our military force,
as
would take the opportunity of stating that it s
proposed to increase the number of our regular trooPo
by 4,000, and the artillery by 1,000 men. The," bad al'
numbers together would than „
not make more ng on
ready been drafted off for the purpose of carryi .
the IC
—eft war.—(Hear, hear.) With regarde
to the second '
r. that the
to he stated
Commander-in-Chief and the Master of the Ordnanee
had turned their attention to the improved arms An
muskets which had been introduced, and were well k
en_
to have a much longer range than those used forra.rt7t4;
and steps would be taken to furnish the army with ton.
improved arms when they were found to be succesrsen
The Noble Lord then proceeded to state the natu,,...usi
his Bill for amending the laws relating to the
„lq3o
militia. He detailed the objects and provisions of
.1:01
and said the militia
previous Acts on the subject,
he now proposed would be of a very different
_lO
scription. He proposed, in the first place, to
,ca:hat
with regard to the officers. Ile propose° nt,
a change
two-thirds should be appointed by the Lord-Lieu tee
and one field officer and one-third of the captains by re.
Crown. The Lord-Lieutenant would] not.; raw--
strieted as to the qualification of the on' those
he would not be required to appoint onlie would
also be
property in the county. Thera raerlY
also be an alteration with regard to the men--tcr of it 3
all were liable to be balloted between the ages of
and 30. Now he thoughr, if a shorter number
years was fixed as the limit, there would be a toss
diminution in the cost of the militia, as well as s Fhat
relief to the population. He, therefore, proposeds
ld
for the first year the ages between which personstortvs
be subject to ballot should be between twenty and
eats
three. In future years the limit would be froin_tvTroit
to twenty-one years of age. The fit'st,,ooo-
- give about 80,000 men, and in the secondoe' ;fle
OW- -
The balloting would be conducted upon the
00._, be
principles:—one-fifth of those balloted
r_rasin.
taken, and ten per cent. of those e
to Wet
ing would be left as a reserve
all oases in which excuses were made orunon
lifications proved. There would be the same exa sa,Loio
Provo' d
and the same right of appeal as formerly. „A sad
had :st, to
had been introduced to enable persons
ld be"
30 to volunteer for the local militia ; they woh
serve one year less than the balloted militia.
__w,
four Y • ed
service of the local militia would be air
they might be re iciresa
and by an order in Council
an
to serve six months longer. The Crown, on asai els
addittou a,
might require au
dditioa
from both Houses,
s
mouths, making altogether twelve month.th
aced wl
service when the country was men ..cre to dsagesi
Next came the que3tionas to how the men
battalion
trained. The militia would be formed into on
fur fourteer the
and they would have to assemble ,vee or
consecun s „etAr•
twenty-eight days (not necessarily
ebssenen' fed
'‘.l
first rar, ' re training
They would nave to undergo three )
hours
9,,f dayi
drilling,
• which would be counted n
and allo
oe A tit.
They would have the VW ~,„, muggy PP-
Kepler Doldi9ro, 011" r-