The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

members of the house present, and as he objected to a bill
of this importance being considered when there was such a
small attendance, he would move that the chairman report
progress.
The house divided, and the numbers were—
For the chairman reporting progress 7
Against
Majority —22
Some discussion took place on clause 14, which gave the
assessment committee the power of valuation of property,
and the right of appeal by the parties who considered they
were unduly rated.
Mr. VILLIERS said that the bill did not propose to
remedy all the defects of the existing system, but to do
away with some of them by the introduction of an improved
machinery. The measure contained provision giving
assessment committees the power to make a uniform
rating in their respective parishes, and the powers of
appeal to those who considered themselves aggrieved. He
contended that the object of the bill was to prevent litiga-
tion and expense on parishioners, and would, if carried out,
go a considerable way to remove the present inequalities in
the rating.
Mr. HENLEY argued that the power of appeal given
was not an open and proper one, and was not calculated to
give satisfaction. In the case of parishes in different coun-
ties which were included in our union, much injustice
would be inflicted as regarded the right of appeal.
Mr. W. MARTIN defended the clause.
Mr. AYRTON considered that a ♦erbal alteration in
the clause would meet the objections urged against it, and
moved an amendment embodying his views, which he said
would secure uniform rating in the parishes of any parti-
cular union.
Mr. VILLIERS had no objection to any amendment
which would render the clause more effective, but he
thought the alteration proposed would be more appropriate
in clause 16.
The amendment proposed by Mr. AYRTON was agreed to
after some discussion, and some other amendments were
also agreed to.
The clause as amended was then adopted, as well as
clause 15 with some amendments.
The other clauses up to 23 were agreed to, with verbal
amendments.
Sir G. GREY said he should proceed with the bill on
Tuesday next.
The house then adjourned, and resumed at six o'clock.
Mr, HEYGATE inquired what progress had been made
in the negotiations for the long-promised commercial treaty
between Belgium and this country.
Mr. LAYARD replied that negotiations were still pend-
ing, but he entertained the hope that they would speedily
be brought to a conclusion.
In answer to a question by Mr. POWELL,
Sir G. GREY stated that it was intended to proceed
with the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill in the present
session.
Lord BURGHLEY asked the Under Secretary for Fo-
reign Affairs whether his attention had been drawn to the
accounts which had appeared in the public journals of the
horrible atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese upon the Tae-
ping prisoners who had been given up for execution into
the hands of mandarins by the English and French autho-
rities ; and whether the Government had received any offi-
cial intelligence on the subject.
Mr. LAYARD said that the statements referred to were
grossly exaggerated, and carried upon their face evidence
of untruth. Instructions, however, had been sent out to
her Majesty's agents in China for the purpose of ascertain-
ing the facts of the case.
In reply to Mr. ADDERLEY,
Lord PALMERSTON stated that there was no inten-
tion to withdraw the troops now in Canada, and that in the
event of any emergency occurring, there would be as many
men ready to take arms as might be required.
In answer to Mr. C. BENTINCK,
Lord PALMERSTON observed that the correspondence
between the Governments of Russia, France, and 'ltaly,
relative to the recognition of the Italian kingdom by the
first-named power had not been communicated to her Ma-
jesty's Government.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD asked whether the capture of
the Bermuda by United States cruisers, and the question if
the transaction had taken place in British waters, had
been referred for their opinion to the law officers of the
Crown.
Mr. GREGORY inquired whether despatches had been
received from the Governor of the Bahamas relating to the
capture by United States cruisers of vessels sailing under
the British flag, and whether any complaints had been
made by the Governor of the Bahamas of the blockade by
United States cruisers of the port of Nassau.
Mr. C. FORTESCUE said that despatches had been re-
ceived from the Governor of the Bahamas on the subject,
and been submitted to the law officers of the Crown. He
believed that amongst the cases referred to in those papers
was that of the capture of the Bermuda. There was no
blockade of Nassau, as had been represented, though Ame-
rican cruisers had stopped British vessels off that port,
which they suspected of a design to run the blockade of the
Southern ports.
On the order for going into committee of supply,
Mr. CAIRD made a statement regarding the prospects of
the harvest, and the probable supply of food in the coming
autumn and winter, and asked whether it was the intention
of the Government to mature a plan for obtaining agricul-
tural statistics.
Sir G. GREY admitted the importance and advantage of
procuring such information ; and he was happy to say that
the prejudice against making the returns had considerably
abated, especially amongst the owners of land. There was
still, however, an apprehension existing on the part of many
tenant farmers that the collection of agricultural statistics
might lead to an increase of rent. He had recently been in
communication with the Registrar-General on the subject,
and if the House of Commons would provide the necessary
funds, he had no doubt that by means of the machinery of
the Registrar-General's department, the desired information
might be secured.
Mr. FREELAND having called attention to the state of
our relations with Austria, and to the present state of the
Venetian provinces, as a source of danger to the peace' of
Europe, asked whether any communications had been re•
ceived from our diplomatic or consular agents in Austria or
Italy with reference to the present state and proposed in-
, crease of taxation in the Venetian provinces, and with re-
ference to the number of emigres from those provinces, and
to the:sentences of illegal emigration which had been noti-
fied in the usual manner by the Austrian Government.
The hon. member was in the act of addressing the house,
when a second motion to count out was made, and forty
members not being present, the house adjourned at five
minutes past eight o'clock.

the Terror (flagship), and three invalids (naval)
from the Bermuda Hospital.
The 89, screw, was commissioned at
Portsmouth Edgar, yesterday by Capt. the Hon. Fitzgerald
A. Foley.

THE GREAT NATIONAL RIFLE CONTEST

The proceedings of the National Rifle Association
drawing to a close, it was but natural that an in-
creasing interest should be directed to those contests
which remained to be decided, although we cannot
but consider that the council have made a mistake
in altering the arrangements which were adoped,
and, we believe, not 'without due consideration, on
former occasions. When the National Rifle Asso-
ciation was inaugurated by Lord Elcho and a great
number of equally ardent adherents of the Volun-
teer movement, at a meeting of which the lamented
Lord Herbert of Lea presided at Willis's Rooms, on
the model of the Tir-Cantonal and the Tir-Federal
of Switzerland, one of the great arguments used by
Lord Elcho in moving the first resolution was, that
this association would become the great handmaid
of the Volunteer movement, as, by holding out an
encouragement to those who might obtain a pro-
ficiency in the use of the weapon placed in their
hands, it would prevent, by the prizes which it
offered, the fears which were entertained by some
for this simultaneous and enthusiastic movement
from becoming realised, and leaving a great patriotic
movement of the time only as a memento of the past.
One of the principal arguments used by Lord Elcho
was, that to make the rifle movement effective, it
should become perpetual,and this viewhas been since
unanimously adopted by the members of the coun-
cil, who had emblazoned on its motto, " Sit Perpe-
tuam," in conjunction with the great object that it
had in view, which was " Defence, not defiance.'"
To forward the great principles here enunciated has
ever been the great object of the association, and,
with a view of earring on and even intensifying
the interest until it arrived at the culminating
point. The final stage, which should decide who
should be the possessor of the Queen's prize and
the gold medal of the association, was left open
to the last moment, thereby prolonging the interest
lin the chief prize up to the close of the meeting.
This year it is with considerable regret we find that
a change has taken place—the great climax which
was sought to be arrived at, and in which the hopes
and aspirations of the representatives of the diffe-
rent members of the corps were centred, was brought
to a premature close on Tuesday last. The Queen's
prize was then disposed of, and although there has
since been the international match between England
and Scotland, which elicited some of the best and
finest shooting ever witnessed, yet it failed to excite
the same amount of interest which so naturally at-
tached to the winner of the Queen's prize. This is
a subject which has not failed to interest the atten-
tion of the council, and last night, at a meeting
called by Lord Elcho, which was held at the camp
fire of the Victoria Rifles, this subject, amongst
many others, WAS discussed, and it was the general
opinion. of those who spoke upon the subject that
the original arrangement should be adhered to, and
that the Queen's prize should be the climax of the
meeting:
The great subject to be decided by the council
yesterday morning was the protest which had been
sent in by Lord Grosvenor, of the Queen's West-
minster ; Sergeant Pixley, of the Victoria Rifles ;
and Ensign Sprott, of the Liverpool Rifle Brigade,
against Mr. Formby, also of the Liverpool Rifle
Brigade, receiving this prize, on the ground that
he had not used a rest in shooting for this prize.
This appeared to be at first sight a really frivolous
objection, inasmuch as Mr. Formby, in giving up the
use of a rest, had been supposed to surrender an
advantage which it was considered to confer. Such,
however, did not appear to be the view taken by
other parties, and as the protest had been formally
lodged, the council were, under the circumstances,
unable to determine what should be done, and to
decide what was the real intention of the noble
duke who instituted the prize. As this could only
be settled by reference to the noble duke himself, a
messenger, at an early hour yesterday morning,
was despatched by Lord Elcho putting before his
graco the points which were really in dispute upon
the question. The Duke of Wellington, we believe,
in his reply, stated that his intention was that,
while it allowed the use of a rest, it should not
exclude any one who did not use it, and as Mr.
Formby had preferred to shoot without the aid of
the rest he was honourably entitled to the prize,
and he should so decide. The consequence was that
the gentleman who had gained the highest score,
Mr. Formby, will be entitled to the prize.
The great and new prize for the day was Earl
Dudley's prize of £5O, either in a cup or money,
open to winners only of prizes at Wimbledon dur-
ing the meeting. Five shots at 500 yards and
seven at 700 yards. This prize excited a good deal
of competition amongst the various prizeholders of
the meeting, and Lord Bury distinguished himself
by making five bulls' eyes in five consecutive shots ;
and Mr. Marten Smith, of the Victoria Rifles, at
the same range, made four bulls' eyes and a centre.
Sergeant Muir, of the 6th Kirkcudbright, also made
three bulls' eyes ; and Sergeant Kemp, who made
such excellent shooting at the great metropolitan
contest at Wormwood Scrubbs, and stood first on
the list for the Metropolitan Prize at the present
meeting, maintained their former reputation. The
following are the official scores made for the prin-
cipal matches :

SATURDAY REVIEW PRIZE.
Cade, Victories, winner .. 33
LORD VERNON'S PRIZE.
Halford, Ist Leicester, winner of the first prize.
Gill, 4th West York, winner of the second prize.
ASSOCIATION CUP.
Major Moir Stirling, winner.
RIFLE DErd3Y.
Gross Total.
Ross, Cambridge University.. 56 Winner of first prize.
Halford, Ist Leicester 54 Winner of second prize.
Astley, School of Musketry 54 Winner of third prize.
Halford won in shooting off the tic.

MR. HENRY'S PRIZE FOR HIGHEST SCORE AILDE AT THE
RUNNING DEER.
E. Ross, Cambridge University 13 First prize.
H. Ross, 6th Kincardine
At half-past 2 o'clock the picked shots of the
country, represented by those who had won prizes
at the present meeting, assembled to compete for
Lord Dudley's prize of £5O. The following were
the highest scores obtained at the two ranges fired

500 yards. • 800 yards. Gross
pts. hits. pts. hits, total.
Lord Dude .......... 12 5 16 7 40
Lord Bury .......... 15 5 15 7 42
Captain Heaton...... 13 5 14 6 38
Major Raiford ...... 7 4 18 7 36
Marriner ............ 10 5 14 7 36
Dillon .............. 13 5 14 5 37
Potter ...........••. 11 5 13 7 36
Moir ................ 10 5 15 7 37
E. Ross, Cambridge .• 13 5 13 7 38
Astley .............. 11 5 13 7 36
Cade ............ 14 5 14 6 39
Pixley .............. 8 3 18 7 36
Rose
Cunhffe
• 13 5
...... 16 7 41
Capt. Williams, 19th
Middlesex ........ 15 5 15 7 42
Morris .............. 11 5 17 7 40
Gibbs ....... ~ ...... 12 5 15 7 39
Brooks .............. 9 5 18 7 39
After Lord Bury's last shot it required the corn
petitor nearest to him to make a bull's eye to place
himself on a footing of equality with him, and
Lord Bury's success seemed assured. But Capt.
Williams succeeded in getting that bull's-eye, and
the tie had therefore to be shot off. Captain Wil-
liams shot first and made another bull's-eye, but as
Lord Bury was equally successful, the contest had
to be renewed. Captain Williams shot again, and,
contrary to general expectation,made a third bull's-
eye. Lord Bury followed amid breathless silence,
and made a centre, only two inches below the
ball'a-eye, and directly in a line with it, but §tin