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

THE DANO-GERMAN QUESTION.

Earl RUSSELL said that a few evenings ago he had
stated that in a few days either preliminaries for peace
would be arranged between Germany and Denmark, or war
would be recommenced. Ile was sorry to say that the
latter alternative was likely to be the result, and that hos-
tilities would probably be resumed on Sunday. On Mon-
day next he proposed to lay on the table the protocol of the
Conference, and in so doing to state the general course of
the negotiations.
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION.

Lord BROUGHAM laid upon the table a bill to prevent
bribery and corruption in returning members to the House
of Commons.

The bill was read a first time.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a second time :—London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway—Mid Wales Railway—
North Devon and Somerset Railway—mad Mistley Thorp
aad Walton Railway.

The following bills were read a third tine and passel :
Holywell Itailway—West Shropshire Mineral—Sevenoaks,
Maidstone, and Tunbridge Railway—Weston-super-Mare
Pier—London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway—Bod-
min Railway, Solway Junction Railway—and Edinburgh
and Leith Sewerage.
FACILITIES FOR DIVINE SERVICE IN COL-
LEGIATE SCHOOLS BILL.

The Bishop of OXFORD moved the second reading of
this bill. The whole of the clergy who had expressed an
opinion upon it seemed highly to approve of its provisions,
and thought it would aid in the education of the people.
_ . .

The Earl of SHAFTESB URY entirely disapproved of
the provisions of the bill, and moved that it be read that
day three months.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said the bill only
legalised existing practices.
Lord PORTMAN thought if the bill did act upon any
other than chartered schools there could be no objection
to it.

The LORD CHANCELLOR thought there was some
danger in the bill, and therefore he should be compelled to
vote against the second reading if it was pressed to a divi-
sion.
The Bishop of LONDON advised the postponement of
the bill.
The Bishop of OXFORD expressed surprise at the
opposition raised to the measure, which he attributed to
unworthy suspicions and prejudices. As it was, the
schools of the Church of England were placed at a disad-
vantage compared with those of every other denomination.
Ultimately, the amendment was withdrawn, and the
second reading of the bill was agreed to.
The Beerhouses (Ireland) Bill was also read a second
time.

The Banking Copartnership Bill and the Vacating of
Seats (House of Commons) Bill passed through committee.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---Last Evening.
The SPEAKER rook the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Pneumatic Despatch Company—Tralee Canal—Gloucester
and Ledbury Railway—Worcester, Dean Forest, and
Monmouth Railway.
ROYAL ASSENT.

Sir AUGUSTUS CLIFFORD, Usher of the Black Rod, ap-
peared at the bar and summoned hon..members to the other
house, to hear the Royal Assent given by Commission to
several bills, for which see Lords' report.
THE CROWDED THOROUGHFARES AT THE

WEST•END.

Sir J. SHELLED' gave notice that on Monday next
he would ask whether adequate arrangements had been
;trade by the Metropolitan Board of Works for relieving the
pubiiC.t.horoughfares from the pressure of traffic at Park-
lane.
ENGINEER OFFICERS EMPLOYED AT SOUTH
.ENSINGTON.

In reply to Lord J. IVLZ NNES'
The Marquis of HARTINZ4TON said the duties of the
officers and men of the Engineer co7ns employed at South
Kensington was not of a regimental c_karacter, and was
entirely limited to the local duties.
RIFLE PRACTICE AT CROYDON:-
Sir S. NORTHCOTE asked the Under Secrete.); of
State for IV ar whether his attention had been called to the
situation of the butt which has been erected for rifle practice
near the New Croydon railway, between the Streatham-
common and the Thornton-heath stations, and whether the
War-office is satisfied thafthe range can be used without
danger to the public ?
The Marquis of HARTINGTON said that the arrange-
ments were under the control of an experienced officer,
and that he had made a very satisfactory report on the
subject.
THE ROYAL FORESTS.
Mr COX asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether
any steps had been taken to carry into effect the
recommendation of the select committee on Royal Forests
(Essex), presented on the 9th day of June, 1863, which
recommendation was as follows :—" Your committee
report that a considerable extent of ground has been en-
closed without any consideration being paid for the forestal
right of the Crown over them, which do not appear to
have been either purchased or redeemed; and your com-
mittee recommend that immediate steps be taken by the
Crown to assert its right, and to abate such inclosures.
Mr F. PEEL explained that the rights of the Crown in
reference to this subject were of no pecuniary value, and it
had been advised by the law officers of the Crown to dis-
pose of them.
THE KEARSAGE AND THE ALABAMA.

Sir J. HAI' asked the Secretory to the Admiralty
whether the attention of her Majesty's Government had
been drawn to the report of an action which took place last
Sunday between the United States frigate Kearsage, and
the Confederate ship Alabama ; and whether they had con-
sidered the report of the Commander-in-Chief at Devonport
on the preparation for battle of her Majesty's ship Research.
Whether, as the last-named report shows that this
class of ship cannot fight her guns with advantage,
and the first-named report shows that she will easily
be destroyed in action, her Majesty's Government will
continue to build ships which cannot be expected either to
fight or swim. And further to ask, as the advantage of
guns of large calibre has been so clearly shown in the
above named action, whether her Majesty's Government
will at once obtain a proper supply of large rifled guns for
the service of the navy ?
Lord C. PAGET said that what the hon. member men-
tioned in the first part of his question had nothing whatever
to do with the Leeench, and the other matte's wtae PaerelY

of detail. The commanding officer of the Resea n'3ll, who
was a young and intelligent man, had informed hbn that ho
was satisfied as to her fighting qualities. The Alabailta was
a wooden ship originally, but the Research was a n iron-
plated vessel.
THE CONFERENCE. MINISTERIAL E: LPLA-
NATION.
Mr DISRAELI said—l feel called upon to ask fiom the
noble lord the First Minister of the Crown an explavation
in respect to the rumours as to the Conference, and I 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 answer,
and all the information which her Majesty's Government
could communicate. The Conference met yesterday ii..fter
the levee, and adjourned until Saturday next, when 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 in 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.

[AEFEAR.INCE or THE HOT:SE,—The importance at-
taching 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 AYItTON 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.
The SPEAKER said there were many precedents for
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 AYILTON 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'CoNicoß 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 ho would
now recommend to retrace their steps.
Mr HENNESSY contended that, in the fats 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 the 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
bad 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 of
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 the district model schools. 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 of the national system of education in
Ireland was that a 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 11. CAIRNS having replied,
After some observations from the ATTORNEY-GENERAL
for lEELAND 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 Hennessy's amendment
Against
Majority —lO4
The house then divided on the original resolution, but
before the tellers handed in the numbers,
An Hos, MEMBER called attention to the fact that Sir
G. Bowyer had given his vote for the Ayes and then voted
for the Noes.
The SPEAKER then called 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 if terwards, 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-
-59
Ayes
01
Noes
Majority
The resolution was therefore rejected.
The Accidents Compensation Act Amendment Bill wag
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 of the enclosure commissioners.
Mr M. GIBSON obtained leave to introduce a bill to
amend the Harwich Harbour Act (1863).
The other orders were disposed of, and the house ad-
journed at 10 minutes past 2 o'clock.