The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-08 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF GREECE.

The Marquis of NORMANBY said, as general anarchy
was said to prevail in Athens, it was desirable to have the
deliberate opinion of our own Minister formed on the spot.
He therefore wished to know whether there would be any
objection to produce any despatch that might have been
received from Mr. Scarlett relating to the matter.
Earl RUSSELL said he would look over the despatches,
and see if he could give the noble marquis the information
he required.
SHEEP AND CATTLE (SCOTLAND): BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
STATUTE LAW REVISION BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading
of this bill, the object of which was to remove a large num-
ber of acts from the statute book which had become altoge-
ther obsolete. This was a case in which the greatest con-
fidence should be placed in those who drew up this ponder-
ous bill, and he could assure their lordships that he and his
auxiliaries had devoted their best attention to the measure
to insure its accuracy. The bill was of a similar nature to
that introduced by the late Lord Campbell, and which had
been found to produce the most satisfactory results.
Lord ST. LEONARDS supported the second reading of
the bill, but, while he did so, he did not coincide with the
idea thrown out by the Lord Chancellor, which proposed
the constitution of a body of men to consolidate the de-
cisions of the judges, which would in some respects be
placing a class of persons above their lordships' house.
Lord BROUGHAM also assented to the second read-
ing. He said their lordships must take the bill on trust,
as it would be totally impossible for any committee to
inquire into its provisions with any good effect, as the bill
occupied nearly 200 pages, each page dealing with about
20 matters, so that 4,000 subjects were dealt with.
Lord CRANWORTH said there were only 80 or 90 years
of the statute book that would require revision if the
bill
passed. When the entire statutes were revised, a consoli-
dation of the statute law must follow.
Lord CHELMSFORD suggested that the column
.of
reasons for the omission of the several statutes repealed in
this bill would be retained for the guidance of the Commons,
when the bill came before them.
The LORD CHANCELLOR would act on this sug-
gestion, on the understanding that the omission of this
column, if it wore rejected in the Commons, would not
prove fatal to the bill. With regard to the observations re-
specting the codification of the decisions of the judges, he
begged to appeal from Lord St. Leaner& to Sir Edward
Sugden, who had himself been the great oodifier of the
jndgments pronounced on the bench.
The bill was read a second time.
PUBLIC WORKS (MANUFACTURING DIS-
TRICTS) BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
The Earl of DERBY said he did not rise to object to the
bill, inasmuch as be considered it was founded on a correct
principle, and was likely to afford considerable relief to the
distressed districts, but to call attention to the satisfactory
report issued by the Central Relief Coramittes through the
hon. secretary, Mr. Maclure, so late as yesterday. This
report showed a considerable increase of employment.
Forty-seven local committees had suspended operations.
In the districts in which these committees acted there were
25,690 working full time, and 16,806 on short time, out
of 55,362 operatives in the districts. The report also
showed .that 234,642 operatives were at full work in
the mills in the cotton districts, against 192,527
who were at full work in the last week of April;
125,097 on short time, against 129,741 last 'April ;
and 180,729 out.of work against 215,512 last April. Now,
though this report showed a reduction in the numbers out
of employment of about 40,000 persons since April last, a
large portion of the population were still out of employ-
ment, it afforded grounds for considerable apprehension
with respect to the coming winter. He might also state
the efforts made to relieve the distress in Lancashire. Ex-
cluding private charity, which had not been known to the
public, and including the sum of £150,000, which had been
expended in the purchase of clothing and food, which was
relief given in kind, the amount of subscriptions for the
relief of the distress was no less than £1,900,000. (Hear,
hear.) He might now state the scale on which the dis-
tress was and is still relieved, in order that their lordships
might not run away with the idea that the sum in hand was
sufficient, or more than sufficient to meet the distress. He
had reason to believe that, exclusive of the sum of £BO,OOO
in the hands of the Mansion House Committee, there still
remained available for the purposes of the Central Relief
Committee, including the sum promised but not yet paid in,
something like £600,000. At the same time, the committee
considered it an advantage that the amount expended by way
of relief had been reduced from £90,000 to £53,000 a month.
(Hear.) If, then., the rate:of relief remained at £53,000 a
month, the amount in hand would supply the demand for
twelve months to come. But at the end of that time the funds
would be exhausted, and they could not expect the country
to make such an effort as last year, and the means of the
operatives were now at a low point ; moreover, they must not
take £53,000 as the measure of what would be required,
for there was a large amount of outdoor labour of a tem-
porary nature, and there were many mills at work that
were not likely to continue during the winter. Therefore
the greatest possible economy must be observed in hus-
banding their resources for the coming winter; for the
£600,000 would hardly be equal to meet the demands on
it that would arise. Consequently every bill which, like
the present, would enable the districts to engage-in
works EihielOyould_n_ltilnately.become profitable,. and which
would avoid the serious difficulty the committee had in find-
ing- occupation for those who wished relief, was one which,
under the present circumstances, ought to be commended.
He entirely concurred on the principle on which it was
founded,
After a few words from Earl GRANVILLE,
The house went into Committee.
On clause 13,
The Earl of DERBY pointed out that the words defining
the owners whose consent must be obtained before the works
could be carried out did not include life interests.
Earl GRANVILLE said be would attend to this objec-
tion. when the report came up.
The bill passed through committee. •
PORT ERIN HARBOUR (ISLE OF MAN) BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
PIERS AND HARBOURS ORDERS CONFIR.

MATION.

This bill was read a second time.
THAMES EMBANKMENT (SOUTH SIDE) BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
The Militia Ballots Suspension Bill and the Walmer
-Vestry Bill were read a second time.
PASSENGERS' ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

This bill passed through COmmftteet

The Oaths Relief in -Criminal Proceedings (Scotland)
Bill and the Mutiny (East India) Act Repeal Bill were
read a third time and passed.
The house then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter past 12 o'clock,

FORTIFICATIONS.

Mr. MASSEY brought up the report of the committee
empowering the bringing in of this bill.
FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill.
The consideration of the clauses occupied the remainder
of the sitting.
The house resumed at six o'clock.
FORTIFICATIONS.

Mr. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN brought in the
Fortifications Bill, which was read a first time.
THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

Mr. J. A. SMITH postponed his motion for a select com-
mittee to inquire into the past management and present con-
dition of the Patriotic Fund, without naming a day when
he would bring it on. He had been informed that the Royal
commissioners were about to hold a meeting and inquire
into the matter which he intended to bring before the house.
In consequence of that, he postponed his motion, but he by
no means pledged himself to wait till the Royal commis-
sioners had investigated the matter and reported.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH THROUGH PERSIA.
Colonel SYK ES asked the Under-Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether there was a new convention for
the construction of the electric telegraph through Persia,
drawn out by Mr. Eastwich, charge d'affaires at Teheran,
on Dec. 17, 1862, and whether there would be any objection
to lay a copy of the same upon the table of the house.
Mr. LAYARD said there was a new convention, but it
was not signed; there would be no objection to lay it on the
table of the house when it was signed.
SALE OF FORESTAL RIGHTS OF THE CROWN.

Mr. TORRENS asked the Secretary to
whether the consent of her Majesty, signified in writing
under the Royal sign manual, in conformance with section
5 of cap. 56 of the Act 16th and 17th Vic., had been ob-
tained for the sale of the forestal rights of the Crown over
the southern and the northern portions of the Forest of
Epping, which were authorised to be sold by the two Trea-
sury warrants particularised in page 122 of Appendix to the
Report from the Select Committee on Royal Forests, dated
June 9, 1863; and, if such written consent had been ob-
tained, whether there would be any objection to laying it
upon the table of the house.
Mr. PEEL said it was necessary only in disputed cases.
Here the right was recognised and undisputed, and the
Treasury warrants were sufficient for the purpose.
THE GODAVERY RIVER.

Mr. J. B. SMITH asked the Secretary of State for India,
whether he had received any communications respecting
tttPregress of the opening out of the River Godavery since
e
data of last published correspondence laid beforeFarlia-

ment, viz., May 2, 1862; and, if so. whether he would lay
the same upon the table of the house. - -•-
Sir C. WOOD said no report had been receive.: F'nce the
last published correspondence.
THE AUGMENTATION OF BENEFIC H S BILL,
In answer to Mr. HADFIELD,
Sir G. GREY-said the second reading o' t f Augmenta-
tion of Benefices Bill would be moved on T (a,rsday.
MR. ROEBUCK AND THE EMPEROR OF THE