The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-03 00:00:00

THE COTTON DISTRICTS.

Mr. FERRAND intimated that on Friday he should ask
the President of the Poor Law Board when the return of
unmarried women employed in the cotton factories would
be laid on the table, and when the works proposed by the
Government engineer and sanctioned by the Government
would be commenced.
THE ALEXANDRA.

Mr. HOPWOOD asked the Attorney General when the
case of the Alexandra is to be tried.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL replied that he antici-
pated the case would be tried at the Middles'x sittings after
the present term—namely, on Monday the 15th of the pre-
sent month.
ELSWICK ORDNANCE COMPANY.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY asked the Under Secretary of
State for War if any sum or sums of money were to be paid
to the Elswick Ordnance Company under any indenture or
agreement ; and, if any sum or sums of money were to be
paid, out of what funds will the payment be made, and by
what authority ?
The Marquis of HARTINGTON replied that the Go-
vernment contract with the works was put an end to by the
late Secretary of War, Sir G. Lewis. The company made
a claim of £85,500, £55,000 of which was disputed. The
matter was referred to Mr. Fenton for arbitration, and the
result had been that the disputed amount had been paid,
and the Government had received stock to cover the balance,
to liquidate which a sum would be asked in the votes this
year.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE GREAT INTERNA
TIONAL EXHIBITION.

Mr. GREGORY asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer I
whether a detailed estimate of the repairing and altering,
and eventually completing the International Exhibition
building would be laid before the house ; whether any state-
ment would be made to the house of the object the Go-
vernment had in view in purchasing the building, and to
what purpose it was to be applied ; whether the two glass
domes were to Le replaced by two permanent structures
on the same design, and when the vote would be taken for
this embellishment of London and its fvicinity. (Hear,
and laughter.)

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied

that the estimate which had been prepared, and which
would be submitted to the house, treated upon the cost of
buying, altering, and maintaining the building. The ori-
ginal cost of the building was £300,000, with an addition of
£130,000 to be paid to the contractors, making together
£430,000. The price which the contractors had agreed to
take, in addition to the payments already made to them,
was £BO,OOO. The site, including the refreshment rooms,
would cost £120,000—L200,000 in all, The value

of the property for building purposes, including the re-
freshment departments, was £230,000, but £710,000 was the
estimated value of the whole of the property in the market,
so that the public would get the whole of it for £200,000.
(Hear, hear.)

Lord R. CECIL asked if any estimate had been prepared
of the annual repairs ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that the cost of the annual repairs were included in the
estimate.

Mr. D. SEYMOUR enquired if the estimate would in-
clude the cost of endowing the Exhibition with a decent
appearance ? (Laughter.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that the estimate would certainly include the cost of giving
the building a "decent" appearance. (Laughter.)