The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-01 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

110 USE OF COMMONS.—This Day.
The SPEAKER took the chair at quarter past 12.
LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY

(No. 1)
Sir MORTON PE 10 moved " that the order for the
second reading on Monday next be read and discharged,
and that the bill be read a second time to-morrow." He
complained that the lion member for Safford (Alderman
Sydney) yesterday, acting for the City of London, took a
step with respect to this bill without communicating with
the agents, utterly opposed to the ordinary practise of the
house, and which he was quite justified in stigmatising as
more iike the piactises of sharp barristers at the Old
Bailey than worthy of a member of that house, to which, he
apprehende.t, an apology was due. The course he had
adopted in no way affected the viaduct over Ludgate-hill.
Mr. Alderman SYDNEY said he took the step he did as
an indrpeLdent member. He desired to prevent the dis-
figuration of the town. If, however, the parties would per-
mit tne city authorities to appear against the bill in com-
mittee, he would support the rescinding of his motion of
yesterday,

Mr. MASSEY intimated that on Monday he would
ptopo,e the standing orders be suspended, so that the bill
could be proceeded with in the ordinary way, and without
classification.

After some discussion the motion was withdrawn on this
understanding.
WEIGHTS AND MEAbURES BILL.
Mr. EWART, in moving the seco..4 reading of this
bill, entered at some length into its purpose. The objt et
ugat to be attained by tie b.ll was the intro ,uction
into this country of the decimal and metrical system of
'weights and m satires, woich had long worked very sue-
eessiully in France and several tit the continental countries.
the system would facilitate trade, and be tumid must use:
tut in keeping the national accounts and in the coliectiun of
the revenue. The plan, it adopted, would have to be ac-
cuulpmied by a decimal system ut coinage
air. BA INES seconded the ru,,tion.
Mr. HENLEY opp,ised the bill, because its inconveni-
ences Would tar outweigh its conveniences.
LOtAiE dwelt upon the anomalies in the present
system of weights anti measures, especially upon the absurd
dill rends between troy and avoireupuis weight, and the
wine bottles of the con,ineut, especially of Germany. He
should vote for the second reading, because it wuuid be a
step in the right direction, but should be glad to see the
sulject referred to a select committee so tha_ it might be
tnoroughly investigated.
Mr. P. URQUHART supported the bill. The various
weights and measures throughout the country WE'LL) very
cora:sing, and to bring them all into unitormil was its-
perativeiy demanded. ibe introdu,mon of the new system
into he Gruvernmeut establishments would rave .LAti,ooo
a year, which would enable the Government to reduce the
income tax hal►penny in the pound.
Mr. ADDER,I, EY supported the bill. The time h d
arrived when a new and common sense system ought to be
edop•ed, which would lead to an enormous augmentation ol
the wealth of the country .
Mr. BAINEz.7 strongly supported the bill, and quoted
the opinions of the various Coambers of Cutranetce inte-
rested in the home and foreign trane in its favour. lie
acid that it would not be difLult to introduce the system
tutu our schoels.
Sir M. k A.U.QUIIAIt considered that this bill would
work well, it end 'wed wits a permissive character, so that
the people light become gradua;ly used t, it. He appre-
h,nued that there was no hope of the bill being passed In
he present session ; he trusted, however, his hon. friend
wo.lid re introduce it next year, and he was satisfied that so
xcelleut a measure wou.d meet with very liberal sup •
port.

Mr. IIUBI3ARD denied that the manifold ben,fits ind

sated had Bpi ueg out of the decimal system, and neither
would its adoption in the future. He was in favour ot
leaving things as they were.
Mr. COBDEN was in favour of the decimal system. All
nlighteneu men, except perhaps Lord Overstone, were in
favour ot the change. The whin sses examined before the
committee last year, of which he was a member, were over-
whelming in its tavuut —some of them, Professor de Morgan
among the number, testifying that its adoption would save
milt the time of boys at school, as tar as arithmetic was
concerned. When engaged in Pails during a period of
six months on the international treaty his time
was greatly occupied in changing the description of
prices from one language to the other, and he confessed
that he telt humiliated at the dislocated, incoherent, and
inconsistent nature of the English syat. in as contrasted with
he logical, symmetrical and consistent plan adopted in
France. They were all agreed ha,. the system ot weigh‘s and
rneasu, es ought to be atteted, and as it was lull ut absurd
anomalies and illogical disagreements, no time should be
lost in introducing an amended system like the oae
proposed. A new system must, however, include
a decimal sy stem of coinage. There were difficulties in the
.ransition ut course, but the B. and of Trade could easily
overcome that diificul.y. A facile list of equivalents would
easily be understood. He appealed to his right hun. friend
the Preside ot ot the Board of Trade tMr. M. Gibson) to re-
solutely take the mater in hand.
Mr. IeERRAND held that if the measure was to be corn
pulsory, it ought to be compensatory also. Small shop-
keepers and others ought to be reimbursed the value of their
weights.
Sir. M. GIBSON had not a word to say against the me-
trical system, but he feared that a compulsory measure,
with a cumbination of new names for old ones, would nut
at once be very acceptable. The committee which sat on
,he subject reported to this effect. He feared the public
was not prepared for so sweeping a chatge as the one
suggested. The avoirdupois pound and the standard
and were the only le.gal measures; all others were illegal,and penalties Could be reduv, red by a common informer.
He could not eousent to a compulsory measure, and advised
he hon. member to withdraw it and introduceapermisaive.
bill. It took Portugal ten years to pione-r the system,.
and now they were about to make it compulsory, but it' we
ware expected to act differently in this cottutry, all he could
say was that he feared it would be requisite to call out the
volunteers to • Word° It,
Me. BAZLEY supported the bill. He said the decimal
syst m was then uses m the customs and excise so as to
arriVe ut gensral quantities.
Mr. RUE is U K hoped the Government would consent
to the second reaoiug.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHECATER said the
Government motile otlly delude the house it they ventured
to give any encouragement to a compulsory measure.
Mr. HODGSON asked the bon inetniser (Mt. EWart) it

he would ectusent, in committee, to omit the compulsory
powers soit;ht r
Mr. J. B. Smut supported the bill, as also did Colonel
SYKES.
EWART would withdraw the bill, if the Govern-
ment would tKeilitaie it in the schools and eisewnere.
Mr. IL Gltsz...,ON could not, off hand, give any pledge.of
the kind.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said it was a mistake to
speak of a compulsory clause— the bill was compulsory
throughout.
The house divided, when there appeared—
.
- --For the second reading llO
Against it 5
—35
•Majority .....
The remit elicited much cheering from the supporters of
the bill.
Tne bill was then read a second time.
SHEEP, &c., CONTAGIOUS DISEASES PEI"
-V EN TION BILL.
Mr. FIOLLAIND withdrew this bill. _a of, and
•--The other orders of her t
were then disposv. .
the house rose a felt!' miaute:,, before six 0.010 if•