The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-18 00:00:00

DOCKYARD SERVANTS:

Mr. FERRAND asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whether the board intended to comply with the memorial
of the masters of dock and victualling craft for increase of
pay, or to restore the pensions to their widows ?
Lord C. PAGET replied that the matter was definitively
settled in 18,7, and that it was not therefore the intention
of the Admiralty to again reopen it. But the Admiralty
had under consideration whether it would not be well to
dispense with " craft" now, and to replace them by warrant
officers, who might, if requisite, be called upon to fight for
their country.
BRITISH FISHING VESSELS IN FRENCH
PORTS.

Mr. BENTINCK asked the Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, whether any, and if any, what steps
had been taken by the Government for the re-adjustment
of such articles in the Convention with France of 1843, as
appeared to bear hardly upon our fishermen; and whether
it was true that our fishing vessels frequent certain Ports
in France for the sale of oysters; and whether the
Convention of 1843 was not in contradiction with the Treaty
of Commerce of 1860 on that point?
Mr. LAYARD replied that by arrangement with the
French Government British fishing vessels were allowed to
frequent French ports for the sale of oysters, and French
oyster boats British ports, but it was found that this
amounted to an infraction of the treaty, could not be done
without a special act of Parliament, consequently the per-
mission given had been withdrawn.

GREECE,
In reply to Mr. B. COCHRANE,
Mr. LAYARD, stated that it was not usual to publish
telegrams, and beside it would not be usual or convenient to
lay on the table of the house the recent proceedings in
Greece with respect to the election of Prince William whilst
the negotiations were pending.

DEPUTATION YESTERDAY TO EARL RUSSELL
WITH KESPECT TO THE SEIZURE OF AME-
RICAN SHIPS.

In reply to Mr. BENTINCK,

Mr. CRAWFURD stated, that the report of the inter-
view in the newspapers of that day was strictly correct, and
the document perfectly correct.

CHINA.
In reply to Colonel SYKES,
Mr. LAYARD replied that he had only that morning
received some particulars with respect to the matter re-
ferred to. He could not yet tell whether guns lost were
the property of her Majesty or not. It appeared that Capt.
Holland had accompanied the expedition, which, he under-
stood, was a very foclish one, and it was well he did so as
the results would have been far more disastrous than
reported.

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 19, 1863.

then reviewed briefly the various steps adopted by the corn-
mission to obtain accurate results from the experiments
submitted to them in the course of their inquiries. The hos.
member proceeded at some length to show that the sewage
of towns could only be applied with advantage in large
quantities to small areas of grass land. He believed that
if the Royal commission had reported that sewage was
worth 2d. a ton, and that it might be spread over large
areas in small quantities, the house would have heard no-
thing about stopping the further expenditure of public
money to enable them to continue their experiments. The
fact was that there were various projects kept in check by
a belief in the correctness of the views of that commis-
sion. If, however, any slur were to be cast upon their
proceedings, those projects would burst forth into flower,
but, he ventured to predict, without producing any fruit.
He believed that agriculturists were not likely to be de-
ceived though town-councillors might, very much to the
cost of the rate-payers. If the house thought that the time
had come to put a stop to the expenditure for the experi-
ments at Rugby, of course the commission would have to
bow to that decision ; but he would observe that the £2,000
asked for in the estimates of the present year referred to an
expenditure the greater part of which hal been incurred.
No further sum would be asked for by the Royal commis-
sion, and that would enable them to complete the experi-
ments at Rugby, which he believed to be the only accurate
experiments ever made with reference to the value of sew-
age. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CO WPER said the question of utilising sewage
had hitherto been considered one of science relating to
questions of engineering arrangement and agricultural
knowledge; but the hon. member for Leitrim had raised
the question in an entirely different manner. He had
certain opinions on this subject not shared by other per-
sons, and which had been thwarted and condemned by
the publications of the Royal commission. Not being able
to answer the report of the Royal commission, the hon.
member now suggested to the government that they
should be prevented from making any more experiments.
That was a view to which it was impossible for him (Mr.
Cowper) to accede. He thought the commission had
answered the purpose for which it was appointed. It was
appointed at a time when towns did not know what to
do with their sewage, and be thought the report of the
commission contained very valuable suggestions for muni-
cipal bodies. He trusted the commission would continue
its labours and experiments, and:it could do no more use-
ful work at the present moment than to show municipal
bodies how to dispose of the sewage of their towns. The
municipality of this great city would do well to turn its
attention to this question, They were going to tura the
sewage of the metropolis into the Thames; but if the re-
sults obtained in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh—results
which raised the value of land from ss. an acre to £25—
could be accomplished in the barren and sandy lands near
London, it would be better to apply the sewage to this
purpose.
_ _

Mr. PAGET said, as he was a member of the commission,
he merely rose to request that the Government would not
agree to the proposition of the hon. member for Leitrim,
but rather extend the grant, so as to enable the commission
to enlarge their experiments.

Mr. AYRTON thought it was useless the commission
should continue their experiments, as they could be of no
practical benefit to agriculturists.
After a few words from Sir J. SHELLEY, the subject
dropped.