The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-14 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS—LAsT EVE.NING.

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The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
Lord ST. LEONARDS presented a bill forbidding rail-
way companies to confine passengers to the carriages by
locking the doors on both sides. It was proper, ho
thought, that carriages should be locked on one side that
passengers might not improperly leave them.
After some short discussion, the bill was read a first
time.

THE BIRTH OF A PRINCE.
Earl GRANVILLE moved that an humble address be
presented to her Majesty, congratulating her upon the fact
that a prince had been born by her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales, and assuring her Majesty of the loyal
attachment of their lordships.
The Earl of MALMESBURY thought some expression
should come from that side of the house to show how deeply
they sympathised with the sentiments expressed by the
noble earl, and in the absence of the Earl of Derby he
offered such sentiments to their lordships.

The motion was then agreed to.
ABYSSINIA.

Lord CHELMESFORD said that on a former evening
the noble earl at the head of the Foreign-office had stated
that Sir W. Coglan was of opinion that it was not desirable
to send a mission to Abyssinia with presents until the pri-
soners had been released from captivity. Thinking that
opinion a rather extraordinary one, he had got a relative of
Capt. Cameron to write to Sir W. Coglan on the subject. In
reply to that letter, Sir W. Coglan stated that what he in-
tended to convey was, that a mission should be sent with
presents, and an answer to the King of Abyssinia's letter ;
but that that answer should contain no reference to the de-
tention of the prisoners ; that the ambassador should appear
to discover this for himself on his arrival in the country,
and should then employ his best efforts to obtain their re-
lease, withholding for that purpose the delivery of the
Queen's letter and of the presents until the Englishmen in
captivity were liberated. But Sir W. Coglan stated that the
position of things had now been greatly changed in conse-
quence of the disagreements that had taken place, and that
he thought the Queen's letter should now refer distinctly
to the detention of her subjects. Sir William's opinion was
that the efforts of Mr. Rassam had failed, and that it would
be requisite to send out a mission from England, adding
that he would be willing to undertake the duty of envoy.
Earl RUSSELL said that he had communicated with Sir
W. Coglan through Mr. Layard, and it was probably in this
way that the misunderstanding had arisen.
The Earl of MALMESBURY asked whether it was true
that the fatal mistake of detaining the King of Abyssinia's
letter for some months did not originate in the Indian-
office. It seemed to him that both the Government and a.,
country had displaypd etim,aly with regard to the
treatment of our countrymen in Abyssinia.
Earl RUSSELL replied to the noble earl's question, but
in so low a tone as to be inaudible in the gallery. lie also
pointed out that it was utterly impossible to bring force to
bear upon the King of Abyssinia, because, in order to do so,
it would be requisite to march 5,000 men for 200 miles
through a very hot and unhealthy climate.
The subject then dropped.
PUBLIC-HOUSE CLOSING ACT (1864) AMEND-