The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-05 00:00:00

THIRD EDITION

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS--This Evening,

The Lord Chancellor took his seat at the usual hour.
The Earl of POWIS presented a petition from the
clergy of Poole against the sale of intoxicating liquors on
Sunday.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Rumsey and Brecon and Merthyr Tydvil Junction
Railway—Banff, Macduff, and Turriff Extension Railway
—Brecon and Merthyr Tydvil Railway—Peterborough
Cattle—Caledonian Railway (Granton Branches)—New-
tcwn—Mackynlleth Railway (Capital)—and Merthyr,
Tredegar, and Abergavenny Bills were read a third time
and passed.
VICE-ADMIRALTY COURTS BILL.
This bill was reported with amendments.
THE MAIL PACKET SERVICE.
Lord CHELMSFORD asked the Postmaeter-General
whether her Majesty's Government had accepted a tender
from the Belgian Government for the conveyance of the
English ma Is between Dover and Ostend, and whetherthey
contemplated any alteration in the mail packet service be-
tween Dover and Calais; also, whether any failure in the
performance of the existing contract between her Majesty's
Government and Mr. Joseph George Churchward for the
mail service between Calais and Dover respectively had
occurred to render any change necessary The noble
and learned lord gave an outline of the arrange-
ments between her Majesty's Government and Mr.
Churchward, and said one of the contracts entered into
expired in the month of June next; but in 1859 an eaten-
ion of the contract had been given up to the year 1870, with
an increased subsidy of £lB,coo per annum. Into the
validity of that contract he would not enter; but having
heard that certain alterations were to take place in the mail
service, he wished for information on the subject.
Lord STANLEY of AL DERLEY said he would not
touch upon the preliminary observations of the noble lord,
as the matter would no doubt come before one of the
courts of law. With respect to the packet service between
Dover and Ostend, the English Government had entered
into a conditional arrangement with the Belgian Govern-
ment for conveying the mails at a considerably reduced
rate. If Parliament voted the money for the continuance
of the contract with Mr, Churchward, then that contract
would be carried on, but in the event of that not being the
case, then the arrangement with the Belgian Government
would come into operation. With respect to the loss that
would fall upon the Belgian Government by the
low rate at which they had agreed to perform
the work, the Government had nothing to do with. All
they had to see to was that the service was efficiently per-
formed. With respect to the mail service between Dover
and Calais, a proposal had been made to convey the mails
at a considerably reduced rate, and negotiations for that
purpose were in progress. The arrangement to stand in
precisely the same position as in the former, viz., Par-
liament not finding the money to carry on the contract
with Mr. Church ward. Ihe Government had no fault to
find with the manner in which the work had hitherto been
performed, and it was not on that account that notice had
been given to Mr. Churchward of the termination of the
engagement. The discontinuance of it arose solelyin con.
sequence of the vote of the other house of Parliament.
CHARN WOOD FOREST REFORMATORY.

Lord BERNEIIS enquired whether her Majesty's Go-
vernment had already, or would institute inquiries into the
circumstances of the late mutinous outbreak in the Roman
Catholic Reformatory in Charnwood Forest ; and also into
the constitution of the appointment and pay of officers of
that institution, and the discipline exercised therein.
Earl GRANVILLE said he could not give a reply at
present.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---This Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock,

NEW MEMBER—NEW RADNOR.
Mr. R. G. PRICE took the oaths and his seat, in the
room of the late Sir G. C. Lewis.

The Skipton Gas Bill was read a third time.
The following bills wale ordered to be read a third time :
—Dublin Corporation Water ; Dublin, Wicklow, and
Wexford Railway; and North Staffordshire Railway
(additional powers).

MAYNOOTH.
Mr. WHALLEY postponed his motion for the 19th of
May to the 2d of June.
SEA FISHERIES.
Mr. FEN WICK gave Lotico that on this day month he
should move that an enquiry be instituted into the present
state of the sea fisheries and the laws and regulations
affecting them, with the view of increasing the supply of
wholesome and nutritious food. (Hear, hear.)

ARMY PRIZE MONEY.
Col. NORTH gave notice that on the 2d of June he
sbould move that an humble address be presented to her
Majesty to appoint a commission to inquire into the distri-
bution of prize money in the army.
THE ATTACK ON SHON-RING,

Col. SYKES asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if any
and what measures were to be adopted consequent upon
Captaia R. Dew, of her Majesty's ship Encounter, employ-
ing part of the naval force under his command in an unsuc-
cessful attack upon the city of Shon-hing, in which Lieu-
tenant Tinling, of the Encounter, was killed, Shon-hing
being many miles beyond the 30 mile radius from a treaty
port ?
Lord C. PAGET replied that as yet no official account
of the disaster had reached the Admiralty. Instructions,
however, had been sent out ordering that no Government
ships should go beyond the 30 mile radius referred to.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL.

Mr. CONIN GUAM asked the Secretary of the Admiralty
whether it was the intention of the Government to take im-
mediate steps to remedy the abuses alleged to exist
in the administration of the funds of Greenwich Hos
pital, and at once gi,e practical effect to the Regis-
tered Seamen's Act, which gave the seamen's six-
pences monthly to the hospital, and also declared that
the widows and orphans of seamen, slam, killed, or drowned
in the sea service, and not of ability to maintain or provide
comfortably for themselves, should be received into the said
hospital, or in some reasonable manner be provided for and
educated ?
Lord C. PAGET replied that as an hon. member (Mr.
Liddell) had given notice of a similar motiin for Friday, he
would rather prefer deterring his reply until that evening"