The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-20 00:00:00

WOOL.

The trade for all descriptions of English wool continues
very quiet. The amount of business transacted since our
last is small, at the recent fall in prices. In the value of
colonial wool, in tho private contract market, very little
change has taken place ; the market, on the whole, may be
considered steady, notwithstanding that buyers operated
cautiously in most descriptions. The first series of public
sales for the year will probably be commenced on the 2d

prox. The arrivals at present amount to 46,509 bales, con-
sisting of 6,308 bales from Sydney, 16,390 from Port Philip,
403 from Van Dieman's Land, 4,613 from Adelaide, 53 from
Swan River, 142 from New Zealand, and 19,000 from the
Cape of Good Rope. Advices from the Australian colonies
state that the new clip of wool was good, and that at the
leading ports of shipment a fall in prices of from id to ld
per lb had taken places in the prices current at the com-
mencement of the season.

Current prices of English wool per lb.
a d
Fleeces —South Down hoggets •• .2 0 2
Half -bred do 2 2 2 4
Kent fleeces 2 2 2 24
outh Down ewes and wethersl 1 t 2 o
Leice ter do 2 1 2 2
Sorts -Clothing 1 6 2 Oi
Combing 1 3 2 2

LANCASTER ELECTION—This Day,

Schneider has been returned unopposed.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

lIOUSE OF LORDS—Tins EVENING.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at
the usual hour.
W LW.
The Earl of LONGFORDS OF
calledA the attention of
the house to a return made relative to the num-
ber of persons which would be displaced by the
u thatses 151
containedliouse s 3
building of the new courts of law. The return
edrsbeoups.ulcolend
mdoawknin,ganindquthira3t,
showedt
h thesewould
persons.
relative to his return, he found that no mention was made
of the lodgers. It appeared that although the householders
were few the lodgers were many ; and what he desired
was, that a further return should be made showing the
actual number of persons who would be displaced.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he would make in-
quiry relative to the matter mentioned by the noble lord.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said the return was not
at all in accordance with the standing orders, which
laid it down, that before a bill of the nature then
under discussion was read a second time a return
of the positive and actual number of persons displaced
should be stated at length, and also that it should show
what accommodation had been made for the poor people.
The return before them was altogether a perfect mockery.
He hoped that the noble lord on the woolsack would insist ,
on a better and fuller return being made.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had been much
struck with the numbers mentioned in the return, but he
would see that a new return was made.
THE DEFENCE OF CANADA.
Lord LYVEDEN asked what had been done, or what
her Majesty's Government intended to do, with respect to
the report of Col. Jervois on the defences of Canada. The
conclusion he drew from the report was that Canada was in
an entirely defenceless condition. Ho did not know what
would have happened had General Dix's order been ca fried
out. He approved certainly of the principles of neutrality
being strictly followed out, but he feared there had grown
a dislike to England in America, because it appeared there
to be the feeling that he that was not for us was against us.
The noble earl (Derby) had already referred to the im-
portant results that were likely to arise from the suspension,
by annexation, of the provisions of the treaty of 1817. The
notice that America intended that suspension had been
given in November, so that in May next it was just possible
that America might have a fleet of gunboats on those lakes.
Lake Ontario was the most important to England, and he
should like to know what provisions the Government had
made to have a fleet of gunboats there, and what steps
they had taken to defend their own against any hostile
fleet that might be placed there by America. Ho
it was high time that the most vigorous measures should
taken to protect the Canadas from attack.
Earl DE GREY.said there was no statement of facts in
Colonel Jervois's report which was not already known to
every one who had considered the question. It simply
confirmed all that was already. known. It touched upon
points, first of all, with regard to points of defence to be
erected in the country for the defence of the province ;
and, secondly, to improve the system of the organisation
of the militia. As soon as the report of Colonel Jervois
had been received by the Government it received the most
serious consideration, and the Government intended to
subit to Parliament an estimate for the fortification of
Quebec, and that her Majesty's Government hsd inti-
mated to. the Canadian Government that they ought to
undertake the defence of Montreal and the erection of any
work of defence that might be considered necessary to the
westward. With respect to the ballot for the militia, he
had no doubt that the Canadian Government would make
that force most efficient. Steps for the balloting of 88,000
men had already been taken, and the officers for that force
were already in course of training. The Commander-in-
Chief (Sir Fenwick Williams) was an officer of experience,
and he felt that everything that was necessary for the de-
fence of Canada would be done, and that very effectively.
The Earl of DERBY said he would rather have re-
frained from touching upon the delicate state of affairs
existing between this country and America, but the press-
ing danger which threatened the frontier of Canada, as
well as the dangers which threatened our commerce by
sea compelled him to speak. They were told that £200,000
were to be voted by Parliament for the defence of Quebec,
yet it was intended by the Government only to vote
this year £50,000. He should like to know
whether the Government thought the danger pressing
or not. Ho thought it ridiculous that, in the face of such
pressing danger, Government should only propose to go
so slowly. If the Canadas were let go witheut the
full strength of the empire being put forth, he
thought it would be endless disgrace and ignominy, which
he trusted the country would never see.
Earl GRANVILLE defended the conduct of the Govern-
ment.

I LEFT SITTING. j

HOUSE OF COMMONS—This EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The standing orders were declared to have been com-
plied with in the case of several private bills :

The following bills were read a second time :—Aberyst-
with and Welsh Coast Railway ; Afon Valley Railway ;
Bromley Gas ; Bury Saint Edmunds and Thetford Railway ;
Cambrian Railways (Coast Extension) ; Carnarvon New
Water; Chesterfield, Newbold, and Dunstone Road ;
Clitheroe and West Riding Junction Railway ' • County
Antrim and Belfast Borough ; Deal and Dover Railway ;
Fareham Gas; Glasgow and South Western Railway (City
of Glasgow Union); Glasgow (City) Union Railway;
Goole, Keadby, and Haxey Junction Railway ; Great
Eastern (Additional Powers); Great Eastern Railway
(Bishop Stortford, &c. Railways ; Great Eastern Railway
Somersham to Ramsey); Hastings and St. Leonard's Gas ;
Heysham Railway and Pier ; Horseforth Water ; Kidder-
minster, Stourport, and Bewdley Water; King's Lynn
Docks and Railway ; Kircudbrfght Railway ; Lancashire
and Yorkshire, Midland, and Leeds, Bradford, and
Halifax Junction Railways ; Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway and Lancashire Union Railways Com-
panies; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway; Luton
Water ; Mistley, Thorpe, and Walton Railway ;
Newcastle-upon- Tyne Improvement ; North Eastern Rail-
way (Gilling, Helmsley, and Pickering Branch); North
Staffordshire Railway ; Ogmore Valley and Ely Valley
Extension Railway Companies •, Pontypool, Caerleon, and
Newport Railway ; Ross and Monmouth Railway ; Ross
Improvement ; St.Alban's Water ; St; John's Chapel (Port-
sea) ; Shrewsbury Bridges ; South Kensington New Road;
South Northumberland Railway ; South Wales and Great
Western Direct Railway; Southwark and Vauxhall
Water; Southwark Bridge Transfer; Swansea Vale and
Neath and Breckon Junction Railway ; Tooting, Merton,
and Wimbledon Extension Railway ; Torquay Gas ;
Tyne Improvement ; West Worthing Improvement ; West
Yorkshire Railway; Wimbledon Common ; Wolverhamp-
ton and Bridgnorth Railway • and Wolverhampton and
North Staffordshire Junction Ifailway.
Severel private bills were read a first time.
Colonel WILSON moved the following new Standing
Order:—" All questions before committees on private bills
shall be decided by a majority of voices, and whenever the
voices are equal the question shall be decided in the
negative." He said that when the discussion
took place on this subject in the house the other,
evening, the majority was in favour of the number of
members on committees being reduced to four instead of
three, and it was to give effect to the wishes of that majority
that ho made the present motion, not having any private
feeling in the matter whatever. His object was to save
the time of hon. members, and to introduce the same prac-
tice that prevailed in the courts of law and the House of
Lords. The change which he proposed would be merely
an experiment, and, if found to be unsuccessful, the house
could revert to its original practice.
Mr. HODGSON opposed the motion.
Mr. ROBERTSON considered the change proposed ob-
jectionable, because it would diminish the responsibility of
the chairman.

Mr. A. MILLS agreed with the last speaker, and thought
the chairman should have a casting vote.
Mr. BRIGHT said that the motion, if agreed to, would
have the effect of neutralising the influence of the chairman
of the committee, who generally paid more attention to the
subject than his colleagues, and he would feel his respon-
sibility less than he did before. That would be a great
loss to those who were engaged in promoting bills, which
they did at great trouble, and which, if they involved large
schemes, might be supposed to be of public importance.
(Hear, hear.) He contended that it would be more desir-
able that, in the case of an equality of votes in a commit-
tee, the presumption was in favour of the bill.
Mr. M. GIBSON was opposed to an alteration from the
original number of five, and he agreed with hon. members
who thought the chairman should have a casting vote.
After some further discussion,

Col. W. PATTEN replied, and said there were 595
bills before the house this session, and the committee of
selection would have the greatest difficulty in securing the
attendance of hon. members.

The motion was negatived, and so were some others re-
lative to changes in the standing orders.
GRIEVANCES OF INDIAN OFFICERS.
Col. SYKES presented a petition on this subject, pray-
ing for a redress of grievances of which they have so long
complained.
THE DUTY OF FIRE INSURANCE.
Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a petition from the local
board of guardians in favour of a reduction of the duty on
fire insuralices.
Several other petitions were presented to the same
effect.
COURTS, OFFICES, AND BUILDINGS'
Mr. PCWELL moved for a return of certain particulars
respecting present courts and offices proposed to be trans-
ferred to the Commissioners of Public Works and Build-
ings, or to become available for other public purposes in
accordance with the provisions of Courts of Justice Build-
ing Bill, 1865, and Courts of Justice Concentration (Site)
Bill, 1865, or either of them ; and of Buildings in the occu-
pation of legal departments to be hereafter accommodated
in the New Courts, in accordance with the provisions
of the said bills, or either of them ; the return to givem
separate columns the situation of each block of building
containing such courts, offices, and buildings ; and_t_h;
purpose to which each court, office, and building is '
assigned.—Ordered.
Mr. NGEOAVTE
THE LAW OF MARRI
ERNg
aovße
nOoFt
eWoAf Ka WAKEFmotionIELDoi Gt.n.t.OsLu.b
Jed.
Kingdom, or to
leses
U
Sir G. O'LOGHLEN asked if itionitewnaas
d
nthye
mit transutireon
toof the
Government to introduce this
in
ignulstaitteutetheanlay uirwinlofmaymage future legislation ?
with a view
that her Majesty's Government had
Sir G. GREY said
subject,
which would be referred to
s to
t
d
o
cb
Oecommittee.
ic iTeNG t onAtNhap ASSESSING THE LEGACY
AND SUCCESSION DUTIES, &c.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mr. L. KING
whether he had directed theeemßleeongatarsedyi of
naf
nt
eu
succession
uapner
eed s
selsnlietovnme
duties,
uud
teei
etosof,
take the evidence of professional men and of the public
d
rothv
teg;feelan.ll:BheraleotianCirYgdHANCELLOß of the EXCHEQUER said that
'anolPf°dlnan:aasnfdssilillnilegpvenne had no such authority as that
alluded to, and the Government had no power to confer it
on that Board. As regarded the moans of
ascertaining
any grievances existed, they were possessed byGoverni-f
Govern-
ment.
ALLEGED INFRINGEMENT OF A PATENT BY

GOVERNENT.
Mr. MAGUIRE asked the Secretary to the Admiralty to

jcialaternetaagneegnet
toonhMavre. JbeohennCinadlar%
ujusno.'s jabty an
lay upon the table the report of William Carpmael, the
s
tts'he which
i r ft ry.
in the Warrior and subsequent iron ships for the Royal
navy ?
Lord C. PAGET said that the report had been made in
consequence of a request to the admiralty, who referred
the subject to a professional gentleman. That report was
confidential, and could not therefore be laid on the table.
TESTING THE ARMSTRONG GUNS.
Mr. H. BAILLIE asked the Under Secretary of State
for War whether any batteries of the present service pat-
tern of 12-pounder Armstrong field guns, as reconstructed
and shortened since May, 1863, had been subjected to the
100 shotted rounds of continuous rapid fire such as disabled
six out of twelve guns of the previous pattern at Shorn-
liffe in 1862, and caused the above reconstruction; and if
any gun of the present pattern, with an inner tube of steel
or coiled iron, had stood 1,000 shotted rounds of rapid fire,
and if so, whether he would lay the report of these trials
upon the table of the house .
The Marquis of HARTINGTON said that the guns had
been shortened but not reconstructed, and they worked
He was not aware that any experiments such
satisfactory.
as those alludednecessary, or had been made.
to were

FEES PAID TO THE CONSUL AT ROME.
Mr. H. BARING asked whether the fee paid to the Eng-
lish consul at Rome for obtaining his visa to Foreign Office
passports was the perquisite of the English consul ; and if
not, into what fund it was paid?
Mr. LAYARD said these fees were levied under an
Act of Parliament, and were not a perquisite of the consul,
but were paid into tho national exchequer, as would be
seen by a refer g ce to the public accounts.
GAMES LICENCES (IRELAND) BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill, and different
clauses were agreed to.
,DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION BILL.
This bill went through committee.
(LEFT SITTING.)