The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-19 00:00:00

SPITHEAD FORTS.

Sir M. PETO asked the First Lord of the Treasury when
he proposed to bring in a bill on the subject of a loan for
fortifications, and whether he proposed to re-commence the
suspended works of the Spithead forts?

Lord PAMERSTON hoped shortly to introduce a bill
on the subject. He would then enter into an explanation,
THE SEVERN DEFENCES,

In reply to Sir W. MILES,

Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government had
bought the land, and meant to erect a battery upon it, but
no v,)te would be asked for the current year.
THE INDIAN FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

In reply to Mr. A. MILLS,
Sir C. WOOD said that he was quite ready to make his
statement; but he feared the papers presented had not yet
been sufficiently long on the Mole of theme house. Dae notice,
however, would be given.
COURT-MARTIAL Q 3 PAYMASTER SMALES.
In reply to Mr. fIoNiNGHANI,
The Marqui.;:c of HARTINUTON said he had no objec-
tion to lay the report and the reply of the Colonel of the
6th Dragoons on the table.
THE RATE IN AID.

In reply to Lord G. CAVENDISH,
Mr. VILLIERS said that the act did not expire until
;he Ist of September.

INDIAN REGIMENTS.

In reply to Captain JERVIS,
Sir C. WOOD said that officers retiring under the Indian
regulations would attain the step adverted to. The officers
referred to in the second question, mainly consisted of those
belonging to disbanded regiments. The regulations re-
ferred to in the third question had been agreed to three
months ago.

SALT (FRANCE).
In reply to Mr. TOLLEMACHE,
Mr. LAYARD said that the French had appointed a
commission on the subject which had concluded its labours,
but the report had not yet come into the hands of the Go-
vernment,

THE LISBURN ELECTION.--PROPOSED PRO-
SECUTION.
Mr. COLLINS gave notice that to-morrow, in going
into committee of supply, he should move a resolution on
the snbject of prosecuting persons who had been guilty of
bribery at the last election.

PUBLIC WORKS (MANUFACTURING DIS•
TRICTS) BILL.

Mr. VILLIERS, in moving the second reading of this
bill, said it was the natural result of the inquiry announced
by the Government several weeks ago, for the purpose of
ascertaining whether the circumstances of certain towns
and populous places in the counties of Lancashire and
Cheshire were not such as to offer resources for the employ-
ment of the unfortunate operatives who for so long a period
had been deprived of their ordinary occupation. That in-
quiry was prompted by an anxiety on the part of Govern-
ment, at the continued dependence of so large a proportion
of the working classes in a given spot upon charitable and
parochial relief. And though there was every reason for
feeling satisfied, and even grateful, that adequate means had
been found for the maintenance of so numerous a body of
working men, it was impossible at the same time not to be
alive to the consequences of such numbers for so long a
time deriving their maintenance from these resources. Bat
the bill was also introduced in presence of a slight prospect
of reviving trade, and of a manifestation of uneasiness on
the part of the operatives at their continued state of idleness.
The house would remember that there was a very general
feeling in the community that something should be done to
place these people in a healthier position; and for that rea-
son it was determined to direct a competent person to pro-
ceed to those districts where it might be supposed indepen-
dent labour could be provided, to institute the necessary in-
quiries. There was no delay in the course to be pursued, for
within a few days of the discussion in that house the gentle-
man selected by his right hon. friene. the Home Secretary,
namely, Mr. Rawlinson, proceeded to the spot, and in a very
short time they were able to lay his report upon the table of
the house, He believed that Mr. Rawlinson had been hap-
pily selected for the purpose, and, among other reasons, on
account of his being a native of one of the counties con-
cerned, and of his intimate knowledge of the districts.
He thought he might say that their mission was welcome,
and they were everywhere well received by the local autho-
rities. Every information was given, because thereby as-
sistance was afforded to the operatives. He only mentioned
that, as showing that every means had been adopted to ob-
tain information, which fact was important in reference to
the results. It happened that everything which was anti-
cipated proved to be correct. The towns were reported to
be in a state to afford great facilities for the employment of
unskilled labour in the construction of new works, without
suspending ordinary labour. The first report of Mr. Raw-
linson, the engineer, led to the conclusion that that was the
case, and from first to last he had adhered to his original
opinion, namely, that there were ample opportunities for
the construction of new works that had long been much
needed in those districts, and which would afford employ-
ment for all the unskilled operatives then out of work. (The
right hon. gentleman then quoted some extracts from Mr.
Rawlinson's report in confirmation of his statement.) Mr,
Rawlinson had reported that he had not only communicated
with the local authorities, but with the operatives them-
selves, who pestered him that their only cause of regret was
that they were not employed the whole day upon the works.
Mr. Rawlinson went on to state that in his opinion
£1,500,000 might be well and profitably spent in public
works, such as sewers, recreation grounds, drainage, deepen-
ing, cleansing, improving, and embanking rivers, and other
similar undertakings. This, it should be borne in mind, was
not an engineer's report made for an ordinary professional
purpose, and therefore Mr. Rawlinson did not pretend to
say that those were works which unskilled operatives could
perform alone. He 'then accordingly proceeded to show
different classes of works, and what portions of them could
be accomplished by unskilled hands. These consisted
chiefly of levelling waste lands, making suburban roads,
cleansing rivers, and some other works of that
kind. In calculating the application of this
£1,500,000, Mr. Rawlinson was necessarily obliged to
come to the conclusion that not more than £451,600 of it
could be profitably expended upon unskilled labour. After
stating that £699,000 of the amount could have to be ex-
pended in the purchase of materials, he alluded to the cir-
cumstance that, although the apparent relief to the local
rates was but £451,000, the actual relief was much greater,
because the bulk of the money paid to the skilled labourers
would no doubt be expended in the neighbourhood of the
works. In recommending that report to the earnest con-
sideration of the house, he thought it would not be inappro-
priate to call attention to the statement in that report as to
one of the districts referred to. He alluded to Haslingden,
as a fair sample of those numerous towns which had sprung
up in a short time, and possessed consioerable population
without any local governing body. The population of
Haslingden was 10,000, but to this day the houses were
undrained, the roads unrepaired, and the streets unpaved.
There was no system of sewerage, fevers prevailed to a great
extent, and the whole place was but a type of many others
of the kind in Lancashire. Altogether there was found
throughout those reports ample evidence of the positive
necessity for works of the character suggested, It was un-
fortunately the fact in all parts of the manufacturing dis-
tricts that when their prosperity was at its highest point,
the smallest attention was paid to domestic and sanitary im-
provements. Nevertheless he felt it his duty to state that
however desirable those works might be, there were ob-
,
stades to be overcome before they could be effected. Those
obstacles were partly financial, and partly legal. With
respect to the financial obstacles, it was not difficult to
imagine that many of those townships, being already in
debt, the ratepayers would naturally be reluctant to incur
charges not absolutely necessary ;so that, unless they could
contract loans on easy terms, there was little hopeof their
embarking in those public works. So far as he had ascertained
they could not readily raise money upon the secueity they
had to offer at much less than 5 per cent. He thought it
not unreasonable that they should ask the assistance of the
State to raise the money at a more advantageous rate.
It would be no inconsiderable matter in raising those
large sums to enable them to make a difference of nearly
11 per cent., and, looking at the precedents upon which
the Loan Commissioners had formerly been empowered
to act, the Government felt disposed to make that con-
cession. A. case had, they thought, been established, not •
withstanding attempts had been made to draw distinc-
tions between those instances and the present. It WU
quite clear that the Loan Commissioners had liberty to
rlastso- innst for
an
guarantee money employed in that way, and he saw no
ea
c eg iov:caugrr eocln ea
te case
ee
passingpreeedenocfe
thoef
Corn
-law
The
and was somewhat remarkable In anticipation of possible
injury to the agricult 1
•
ya interest, £2,000,000 were placed
at the disposal of the
pro-
prietors to drain their oan Commissioners, to enable pro-
for the land.lose t That was supposed to be com-
pensationtion ; but he was happy
be sustained by foreign compe-
occurred, and the whole toof say that no such loss had
12,000,000 afterwards, heel been the amount and another
out in improvement of the laea,raalist advantageously laid
been lost. If the Government consenntoetd a sixpence had
money when no evil actually existed, surteol advancesthsent
of
necessity would be ample justification. He, the
erefore,
hoped the house would not object to the proposed advance,
With regard to the legal difficulties, they consisted chiefly.
in deficient powers either to borrow money or to carry out
works. It was quite clear that some of the places had
already exhausted (or nearly) their borrowing powers; and
in ethers there were no powers at all. But to enable those
places to avail themselves of the Local Government Act of