The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-21 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT.

In reply to Mr. C. BENTINCK,
Air. COWPER replied that a commission composed of
eminent artists and others had enquired into the causes of
the deterioration of certain fresco paintings, and they had
reported that they had been unable to discover the causes.
The report would be laid on the table.
THE POLISH REFUGEE, ABICHT.

Mr. HENNESSY asked the First Lord of the Trea-
snry, whether the Russian Government recently applied
to her Majesty's Government for information respecting a
Polish refugee named Abicht ; whether her Majesty's Go-
vernment complied with that application, and afforded infor-
mation to the Russian Government; and, whether this
Polish refugee was the individual referred to in a letter of
Earl Russell, dated Foreign-office, Feb. 14, 1863, as " a per-
son lately arrested in Poland as a political agent ?"
Lord PALME PISTON replied that no application of any
kind had been addressed to her Majesty's Government by
the Government of Russia upon the subject of the refugee
.Abicht. Of course, therefore, no answer could have been
returned to the Russian Government. On the 14th of
January the British Consul at Warsaw sent a
it, spatch stating that a certain number of Poles
bad been arrested. On the 14th he wrote again to
say that a person named Abicht had been found travelling
with a British Foreign-office passport, in the name of Brett,
which had been regularly vised at Vienna, and the various
pieces he had passed through on his way from Eng-
land to Warsaw. Inquiries were made how this
had happened, and it was found that in July, 1861, a Mr.
Leverson, of St. Helens, in the City of London, had applied
to the Foreign-office for a passport to Mr. Brett, his con&
dmtial clerk, and also for another confidential clerk,
N',llo was to accompany him, but whose name he
(Lord Palmerston) did not recollect, on the ground
that they hadhad important business on the continent.
r. Leverson had been communicated with, and a letter
had be 11 received from him dated from Paris, stating that
in
rgeut i
tri heasd ha
dbetter be mede of Mr. Brett himself. Mr.
been written to, but up to that time no answer
bad been received. (Laughter.) Probably he had not a
etentive memory ; at
tbxkY rate he had failed to post a reply.
(Laughter).
THE MUSEUM ESTIMATES.
Lord IL LENNOX asked
arrangements
eanCbgearreultlor of the Riche-
whether he had made
Exche-
quer a for having the
British Museum estimates moved in the house by a
Minister of the Crown ?
a
The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCREQuErt
replied
that it had been usual to permit these estimates to be re-
vised
eby a distinguished member of this house, who was is
one of the trustees of the Museum. The Government had
not seen any reason to depart from the practice heretofore
followed. (Hear, hear.)
THE ROYAL OAK.
Mr. DALGLISH asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whether the authorities at the Admiralty intended to try
the effect of Whitworth's shells on a target representing the
side of the Royal Oak, or of one of the wooden ships which
it is proposed to build ?
Lord C. PAGET replied that it was the intention of the
Admiralty to carry out a series of experiments on targets
representing various ships. These experiments were now
going on from day to day, and the authorities would be
happy to offer every facilityfor the attendance of hon. mem-
bers.