The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-03 00:00:00

THIRD READINGS.

Aberyetwith and Welch Coast Railway—Tendring Hun-
dreds Railway, and London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway (Extensions and Alterations) Bills were read a
third time and passed.
THE INDIAN NAVY.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented a petition
from the naval and military officers of the late East India
Company's Service, complaining of certain injustices that
had been practised upon them in the matter of pensions and
compensations, and praying for a commission of inquiry.
The Duke of ARGYLL said he thought the officers in
the late East India Company's service had been very libe-
rally dealt with Under the new regulations of the Govern-
ment of Ind4.a. In all cases the pensions awarded were
considerably over those awarded in the Royal Navy, and
in many cases officers had been awarded pensions which
were sot given in her Majesty's service. Under all the
circumstances he did not think there were any just ground
for complaint.
BRITISH COLUMBIA BOUNDARIES BILL.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE, in moving the second
reading of this bill, took the opportunity of referring to the
improved prospects of Vancouver's Island, because a belief
existed that this distant dependency had never prospered,
and, what was more, never would. He said that the re-
moval of the authority of the Hudson's Bay Company had
been attended with the best results, as there had already
been a great improvement in the state of the colony,
and in a few years it would, without doubt, become
a place of great importance. Although it had only
been founded four years, he ha. great satisfaction in inform-
ing their lordships that the name of Vancouver's island
would never again figure in the estimates of the House of
Commons. He cousifkred this a great credit to the legis-
lature of the county, During the last year the revenue
had doubled, an?., d uring that time no less than 1,000 miles
of roads had l',een constructed—not of a temporary descrip-
tion, but edi as good a description as would be found
England. Last year the revenue from these
roads amounted to no less than £lO,OOO, but
gratif,ying as the result was, it was confidently expected
that, the amount received this year would be not less than
sza,ooo, thus enabling the colony to repay the loan of
£lOO,OOO in about 5 y ears, when good and substantial roads
would be open up to the foot of the Rocky Mountains. An
arrangement was in progress between the Governments of
Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver's Island, for the
purpose of making a telegraphic communication which,
taking advantage of the roads made and being made, would
complete a line of telegraph across the entire continent. This
would be done by the colonies themselves. There would be
no guarantee by the British Government. There was also
a plan in contemplation, called the Intercolonial Railway,
which would connect the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans
through British North America ; and when they considered
the results to which such an opening would give rise, their
expectations of the grand future which was before the
British colonies in North America could hardly be too san-
guine. There were certain gentlemen in the City who had
made arrangements to buy up the shares and rights of the
hudson's Bay Company for £1,500,000. They had applied
to the International Financial Association for an advance,
to enable them to pay down ready money for the purchase,
and the arrangements had been finally made 'that very even-
ing. The International Financial Asse.ciation had merely
interposed to aid the purchasers, an",t the new proprietors
were resolved to open up the country under their control.
He mentioned these facts, as b:e had heard that some noble
lords intended to question }..:fin upon the reported purchase
of the property of the He:"..tson's Bay Company. But, in fact,
it was no purchase. I
was a mere transfer from one set of
shareholders to anotler, and the new proprietors had secured
the valuable serv=ices of Sir Edmund Head, who had con-
sented to act as. governor.
The Earl of DONOUGHMORE thought the house
and the Government ought to be very careful about what
they were doing. The Hudson's Bay Company was a
most obstructive body. They had kept the vast territory
entrusted to their management a howling wilderness,
traversed only by wild animals, trappers, and hunters.
They had opposed every attempt at colonisation. They
held under a charter of Charles IL, which gave them
most extensive rights, and if those rights were to be pre-
served and enforced by the new proprietors, the Govern-
ment would be without excuse, because the new company
could say that the transaction was open and notorious.
(Hear, hear.) He wished to know what guarantee the Go-
vernment had that the new company would encourage
colonisation. He wished also to know what arrangement
had been come to with the American Government respect-
ing the disputed island of San Juan.

Lord TAUNTON agreed with the Earl of Donoughmore
is thinking that the transfer of the charter, shares, rights,
and stock of the Hudson's Bay Company to a new company
(for in fact it amounted to that) was a most dangercus
transaction, and one which ought to be looked upon with
-very great jealousy. The old company had treated the
Indians with great care. The treatrjlent of the red men in
the Hudson's Bay territory cor.:trasted most favourably
with that which they received 'At the other side of the border.
If anything was to be char,ged in the management, the
traditions of the company might possibly not be preserved.
As to the colonies of 'British Columbia and Vancouver's
Island, he had heard stories which deeply shaded the pic-
tures of prosperity drawn by the noble duke (of Newcastle).
He had heard that English settlers carried on a most hor-
rible traffic in Indian women, whom they put chased from
the native tribes, and brought down to the settlements,
where they hired them out for the vilest purposes, and then
left then to perish by the most loathsome and abominable
disease, or sent them back to spread contamination amongst
their own people.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE was unable to give any
other information upon the subject of the transfer of the
Tights and charters of the old to the new proprietors of
the Hudson's Bay Company than that which he had
would not be a new one, for
already given. The company
several of the old shareholders would remain. As to his
hp.ving any right to interfere, and to obtain any special
berms from the new shareholders, he had none. The
shareholders did not require his sanction to buy or sell
their shares. He had obtained what ho considered very
important concessions, but as to any permission from
him, the shareholders did not require it. As to the condition
of the Indian women, these crimes had existed for centuries
and he did not see how they could be prevented, however
much they might be deplored. The island of San Juan, it
had been agreed, should be jointly occupied by British and
American forces until the dispute could be finally
adjusted.
Bu;,; the war in America had compelled the American Go-
vernment to concentrate all its power, and the force on San
Juan had been withdrawn about two years ago. Every
application to the American Government to settle the mat-
ter had been met by the reply that they had too much on
their hands to leave them time to attend to so distant
a settlement; so the matters in dispute remained still in
abeyance.
The bill was then read a second time.

The following bills went through consmittee :—The Naval
Medical Supplemental Fund Society Winding. up Act, 1861,
Amendment, the Telegraphs, the Sheep and Cattle (Scot-
land), the Oaths Relief in Criminal Proceedings (Scotland),
the Postmaster-General (Sale of Land), and the District
Parochial Churches (Ireland).

- --. .
The Land Drainage (Provisional Orders) Bill, the Juris-
diction of Justices Bill, were read a second time.
The Officers of Royal Naval Reserve Bill, the Sale of
Mill Sites, &c. (Ireland) Bill, the Volunteers Bill, and the
Regimental Debts, &c., Bill, were read a third time and
passed.
The report on amendments to the Local Government
Supplemental (No, 2) Bill wore agreed to.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OP COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.

NEW MEMBERS.
Mr. CARGILL (Berwick) and Mr. VERNER (Lisburn)
took the oaths and their seats.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

-
The Merthyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway Bill
was read a third time.

THE PURCHASE OF THE INTERNATIONAL

BUILDING.

Mr. GREGORY presenotfedPetition from the Finan-
cial Reform Association Liverpool against the extra-
vagant outlay proposed in connectsion. with this new build-
ing ; also a petition from the
0100.0,et.37 of Arts on the
iecwhhonable
.in point of
ground that it is exceedingly
.str.ictures were
taste, and the ridicule of foreigners,
petitions
only mollified by the assurance that theobsueilding was only
temporary ; Lord ELCHO presented two
the purchase of the building; Mr. CRA.NVER against
from mer-
chants and bankers in the City of London to'
effect ; also by Mr. WHITE, from Brighton. the same
HAWKERS' LICENCES.
Mr. FERRAND gave notice that on Monday he should
ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether small hawkers
were compelled to take out a licence.
ACCIDENTS ON RAILWAYS.
Mr. BENTINCK gave notice that on Friday,
the 16th,
on going into a committee of supply, he should bring the
subject of accidents before the house, and move a resolu-
tion thereon.

POLAND.
4:II,ORsMAN gave notice that on an early day he
6-Nrllie.nu"klot„
.°Pose a resolution to the effect that the treaty of
"a° been violated in respect ;to the good govern-
ment Of *Paula v.
Itnesia, and that its continuance WOUld

be most calamitous to Poland and dangerous to the peace
of Europe.
REDUCTION OF INDIAN REGIMENTS.

In reply to Col. SYKES,

The Marquis of HARTINGTON stated that it had been
determined to reduce by a troop each of the Indian cavalry
regiments, so as to place them on a looting with the
English regiments.