The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-25 00:00:00

THIRD EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS. TIIIS EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his meat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

THIRD READINGS.
The Merthyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway, and.
the Somerset Central and and Dorset Central Railway
bills were read a third time and passed.

PARK Fl UR:5l' PRISON".
Viscount DUN CIANNON gave notice that on Monday
he should move for a return of the number of officers
employed at Parkhurst Prison with their respective
salaries, and the number of convicts employed there dur-
ing the year 1860-61, and up to the Ist July, 1862. Also
ter the number of convicts who have effected their escape
during that period.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Trus EVENING.
The SPEAKER. took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE :BILLS.
The Lords' amendments to the following bills were agreed
to, and the tills were ordered for third reading :—Cannock
Chase Railway Eytension—Eastern Union Railway—
Great Western, Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester and Ely
V,dley Railways—lient, Coast Railway---Shrewsbury and'
Hereford .Railway—Spalding, and Bourn Railway—Totten-
haul and Hampstead Junction Railway.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Great Northern and Western (of Ireland) Railway—Sid-
mouth Railway and Harbour—and Tufnetl's Estate.
NEW WE T.
On the motion of Mr. WHITEHEAD, a new writ was
ordered to issue for the election of a member for the county
of Carlow, in the room of Captain Bunbury, who has
accepted the Cheltetn Hundreds.
PIRACY IN THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO.
In reply to Mr CHAWFORD,
Mr. LAYAItD said hat the attention of her Majesty's
Government had been directed to this subject, but without
any successful result up to the present time The Govern:-
ment of the Netherlands had expressed their willingness to
act in concert with England ; and Spain and the other
powers, it was expected, would accale to a similar arrange-
, ment.

THE 140 POUND ARMSTRONG SHUNT GUN.
In reply to Mr. OSBORNE,
Sir G. LEWIS said the bun in question had been loaded
with 251bs. of powder, and had split. He did not think
that the appointment of any additional committee in addi-
tion to what had been sitting on the subject of the ordnance
could be desirable, but he thought that the committee
should be reappointed next session.
Mr. O,BORNE said his object was for a committee to
inquire into the bursting of the gun.
Sir G. LEWIS said that the committee in question would
consider that subject.
INDIAN PRIZE MONEY.
In reply to Sir N. FARQUHAR
Mr. BARING said that the 'distribution of this prize
money had commenced in India last December, and would
be continued from September next.
ALLEGED CONCERT BETWEEN THE FRENCH
AND ITALIAN GOVERNMENTS IN RESPECT
TO MEXICO.
In reply to Mr. GRIFFITH,
Mr. LAYARD saia that her Majesty's Government had
received no information as to there having been any concert
between the two Governments alluded to by which the Italian
Government was to send troops to surport the French in
Mexico in exchange for the retirement of the French troops
from the 1 rovinces of Viterbo anu Villetri, or that any such
scheme was abandoned in consequen e of its unpopularity
in Italy. He could give no information whatever on the
subject.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE BATTA. TO THE AD.
MIRAL ON THE EAST INDIA AND CHINA
STATION.
Sir J. ELHIINSTONE drew the attention of tbe house
to this question, and complained that the dficer in question,
had not been properly treated by the seduction of the allow-
ance referred to.

CAPTAIN SHERRARD 03BORNE.
Sir J. HAY asked for httormation relative to the terms
of the agreement by wt ich Captain Sherrard Osborne,
of the Ito, al Navy, w,,s employed in the service of the
Chinese Government. He took occasion to advert to the
different cases of complaint which had been made in tt e
course of the session as to the treatment of the Royal Navy
by the Government.
Lord C. PAGET said with regard to the latter subject
that Captain Sherrard Osborne had obtained leave to enter
the service of the Chinese Government for the purpose of
FORTIFICATIONS (PROVISION FOR EXPENSES
BILL.
Earl DE GREY, in moving the second reading' of this
bill, said he did not intend to enter on that occasion into
any recapitulation of the arguments in favour of the neces-
sity of adequately protecting our principal naval forts
and arsenals. In 1860, a plan was submitted to Parlia-
ment, and having received its approval, a sum of money was
voted to carry out the provisions of the bill embodying those
plans. He did not think it necessary to detain the house by
showing that it was not desirable to stop their mad career),
or either that the plan approved of in 1860 was inadequate,
or unsuited to the p esent time, or that the danger
that was then apprehended had altogether passed away.
The sum that had already been voted, viz., two millions, in
order to carry out the plan, had very nearly been expended,'
and it became necessary at once to apply to Parliament for
a further amount. The works propose at Portsmouth, some
of which were rapidly approaching completion, had all been:
commenced. The works at Spithad had been temporarily.
suspended. The torts in the Isle of Wight had been com-
menced, and the land purchased fur others in that direc-
tion and at Plymouth, the sea, and what was called the
western defences had been commenced, while those works
at Pembroke were also proceeding satisfactorily. The
works on the rivers Thames and Medway were
being pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and in his
opinion the works looked upon as a whole were going in
a manner that merited the highest approval. The
sum proposed to be voted by the present bill
amounted to £1,500,000. lie was perfectly ready to reply
to any arguments which might arise; but not anticipating
any such opposition to the measure he would conclude by
moving the second reading of the bill.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH rose, and was
[LEFT SPEAKING.]
putting down pirates in the Chinese seas, but there was
no agreement on the part of this Government that
he should receive an indemnity of £3,500 from the Chinese
Government. With respact to the observations of the hon.
baronet (Sir J. Elphinstone) he could only s ate that all
officers accepting the situation in question did so with the
understanding that they were to give up their pay from
this country. _

DEFENCES OF CANADA.
ADDERLEY drew the attention of the house to
this subject, and asked the Government for informs, ion as
to whether any arrangement had been come to between
this country a.:d Canada as to the relative force that should
be supplied for the defence of that colony. He cited the
authority of different colonial s:cretaries to show
that Canada, from its wealth, was in a position
to defend itself from invasion. He referred to this country
sending out troops to defend the colony at the time of
an expected rup ure between this country and America,
and he complained that the Canadians had shown great
apathy in providing for their defence.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]