The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-04 00:00:00

SOLDIERS' GARDENS.

Mr. W. EWART asked the Under Sec .ta yof State for
War whether he would state, or allow n return to be
made showing, to what extent the cultivation of gardens
by soldiers had been adopted in the army ?
The Marquis of HARTINGTON said a circular had
been issued on the subject, but he would rather the hon
gentleman would wait to see the effect of it before the re-
turn was ordered.
UNION CHARGEABILITY BILL.

Colonel WILSON PATTEN asked the President of the
Poor Law Board whether he would fix a later day after
Easter for going into committee on the Union Chargea-
bility Bill ?
Mr. VILLIERS said he would state on the 24th the day
he proposed to proceed with the measure.
OYSTER FISHERIES.

Mr. CAVE asked the President of the Board of Trade
whether the report of the sea fishery commission would
be made in time for legislation on the oyster fishery dur-
ing the present session.
Mr. T. M. GIBSON did not think it would be presented
in time for legislation during the present session.
VOLUNTEER OFFICERS.

Mr. A. EGERTON asked the Under Secretary of
ate
for War whether the Government had come to any deci-
sion on the question of the exemption of officers of the
volunteer force from service on juries; and whether, con-
sidering the great need companies in administrative batta-
lions had of Government assistance, it was intended to
make any provision for defraying the cost of such equip-
ment.
The Marquis of HARTINGTON said the militia officers
were only exempt when their regiments were actually
embodied. The Government could not give an exemption
to volunteers which was not possessed by the militia.
GUNNERY EXPERIMENTS.

Mr. PEACOCKE asked the Under Secretary of State for
War whether it was intended to test the Lancaster, Scott,
and French 7-inch. gun, competition guns, by firing from
them shells filled with powder before coming to a decision
as to the best system of rifling ; and whether it was true
that the 7-inch shunt and French guns have, in the late
competition at Shoeburyness, been placed under similar
conditions ; and whether one had yet been fired from a
wooden and another from an iron carriage; and whether
other advantages have not been given to the shunt gun ?
The Marquis of HARTINGT ON said it would be
highly inconvenient to give information before the experi-
ments now going on were concluded. No advantage was
given to the shunt guns over the other. Shells filled with
powder had not yet been fired.
THE LATE MR. COBDEN.
On the reading of the orders of the day,
Lord PALMERS TON rose, and was received with loud
cheers. The noble viscount, who evidently spoke under the
influence of deep emotion, said,—Mr. Speaker, it is impos-
sible for this house to have that order put without calling
to its mind the great loss which this house and the country
have sustained—(cheers)—by the event which took place
yesterday morning. (Cheers.) Sir, Mr. Cobden, whose loss
we deplore, occupied aprominent position both as a member
of this house and as a member of the British nation. (Cheers.)
I do not mean, in the few words I have to say, to disguise
or to avoid stating that there were many matters upon
which a great number of people differed from Mr. Cobden,
and I among the rest, but those who differed from him the
most could never doubt the honesty of his purpose—(cheers)
—or the sincerity of his convictions. (Cheers.) They felt
that his object was the good of his country—(cheers)--
however they might differ on particular questions from him
as to the means by which that end was to be accomplished.
(Cheers.) But we all agree inburying in oblivion every point
of difference, and think only of the great and important ser-
vices he rendered to our common country. (Cheers.) Sir,
it is many years ago since Adam Smith elaborately and.con-
elusively, as far as argument could go, advocated as the
fundamental principles of the wealth of nations freedom of
industry and unrestricted exchange of the objects and re-
sults of industry. These doctrines were inculcated by
learned men, by Dugald Stewart and others, and were also
taken.up in process of time by leading statesmen, such as
Mr. Huskisson and those who agreed with him ; but the
barriers which long-established prejudice, honest and con-
scientious prejudice, had raised against the practical appli-
cation of those doctrines for a long series of years pre-
vented their coming into use as instruments of progress in
the country. To Mr. Cobden it was reserved by his un-
tiring industry, his indefatigable personal activity, the
" '

indomitable energy of his mind, and I,will say that forc-
ible and Desmothenic eloquence with which he treated
all the subjects which he took in hand—it was
reserved to Mr. Cobden, aided no doubt by a great
phalanx of worthy associates—by my right hon. friend the
President of the Poor Law Board (cheers), and by Sir R.
Peel, whose memory will ever be associated with the prin-
ciples Mr. Cobden so ably advocated—(cheers)--it was re-
serves, I say, to Mr. Cobden, by exertions which never were
surprised, to carry into practical application those abstract
principles with the truth of which he was so deeply im-
pressed, and which at last gained the acceptance of all rea-
sonable men in the country. (Cheers.) He rendered an
inestimable and enduring benefit to our country by the re-
sult of those exertions. (Cheers.) But great as were Mr.
Cobden's talents, great as was his industry, and eminent
as was his success, the disinterestedness of his mind more
than equalled all of these. (Cheers.) He was a man of
great ambition, but his ambition was to be useful to his
country—(cheers)—and his ambition was amply gratified.
When the present Government was formed I was authorised
graciously by her Majesty to offer to Mr. Cobden a seat in
the Cabinet. Mr. Cobden declined, and frankly told me
that he thought he and I differed a good deal upon many
important principles of political action, and therefore he
could nat either comfortably for me or for himself join the
Administration of which I was the head. I think he was
wrong ; but this I will say of Mr. Cobden, that no man,
however strongly he may have differed from him upon
general political principles, or the application of those prin-
ciples, could come into contact with him without carrying
away the strongest personal esteem and regard for the man
(cheers) with whom he had the misfortune not entirely to
agree. (Cheers.) Well, sir, the two great achievements
of Mr. Cobden were, in the first place, the abrogation of
those laws which regulated the importation of corn and the
great development which that gave to the industry of the
country, and the commercial arrangements which he nego-
tiated with France, which paved the way and tended
greatly to extend the intercourse between thetwo countries.
(Cheers.) When that achievement was accomplished, itwas
my lot to offer to Mr. Cobden not office, for that I knew he
would not take, but to offer him those honours which the

Crown can bestow—a baronetcy and the rank of a Privy
Councillor, honourable distinctions, which it would have
gratified the Crown to bestow for important services ren-
dered to the country, and which I think it would not have
been at all derogatory for him to accept. But the same
disinterested spirit which actuated all his conduct, whether
in private or in public, led him to decline even acknow-
ledgments which would properly have been made for the
services he had rendered. (Cheers.) Well, sir, I can only
say that we have sustained a loss which every man in the
country will feel. (Cheers.) We have lost a man who may
be said to have been peculiarly emblematical of the Consti-
tion under which we have the happiness to live, because he
rose to great eminence in this house, and acquired an as-
cendancy in the public mind not by virtue of any family
connexion, but solely and entirely by means of the power
and vigour of his mind—(cheers)—that power and vigour
being applied to purposes eminently advantageous to the
country. (Cheers.) Sir, Mr. Cobden's name will be for ever
engraved on the most interesting pages of the history of
this country—(cheers)—and I am sure there is not ono in
this house who does not feel the deepest -regret that we
have lost one of its proudest ornaments, and that the coun-
try has been deprived of one of her most useful servants.
(Loud cheers.)
Mr. DISRAELI—Sir, having been a member of this house
when Mr. Cobden first took his seat, and having remained
in the house during the whole of his lengthened carreer, I
cannot reconcile it to myself to be silent on this occasion,
when we have to deplore the loss of one so eminent, and
that too in the ripeness of his manhood and the full vigour
of his intellect. (Cheers.) Although it was the:fortune of
Mr. Cobden to enter public life at a time when passions ran
high, and he himself by no means a man insensible to poli-
tical excitement, still when the strife was over there was
soon observed in him a moderation and a tempered thought
that intimated a large intellectual horizon, and the pos-
session of statesmanlike qualities. (Loud cheers.) Though
formed in the tumult of popular opinions, with which ho
identified himself, there was in his character a vein of re-
verence for tradition which, even unconsciously to himself,
subdued and softened the acerbity of the cruder conclusions
to which he may have arrived. That in my mind is a
quality which in some degree must be possessed by any ono
who aspires to sway this country. For, notwithstanding
the rapid changes in which we live, and the numerous
improvements and alterations we anticipate, this country
is still Old England, and the past is one of the elements
of our power. (Cheers.) Of Mr. Cobden's conduct in this
house all present are aware, yet, perhaps, I may be per-
mitted to say that as a debater he had few equals. (Cheers.)
As a logician he was close, complete, acute, perhaps even
subtle, yet at the same time he was gifted with such a de-
gree of imagination that he never lost sight of the sympa-
thies of those whom he addressed, and so, generally avoid-
ing the driving of his argument to extremities, he became
as a speaker both practical and persuasive. The noble lord,
who is far more competent than myself to deal with such
subjects, has referred the house to Mr. Cobden's conduct as
an administrator. It would seem that, notwithstanding his
eminent position and the various opportunities which
offered for the exercise of that ambition which he might
legitimately entertain, his life was destined to pass without
his being afforded an occasion of showing that he possessed
those qualities invaluable in the management of public
affairs. Still, fortunately, it happened that before he quitted
us there came to him one of the greatest opportunities ever
offered to a public man, and it may be justly said that by
the transaction of high affairs he obtained the cousidera-

tion of the two leading countries of the world. (Hear.)
There is something mournful in the history of this ParEa-

ment, when we remember how many of the most eminent
and valued colleagues have gone from among us: I cannot

refer to the history of any other Parliament which will bear
to posterity so fatal a record. But there is this consolation
when we remember these unequalled and irreparable visi-
tations—that these great men are not altogether lost to us ;
that their opinions will be often quoted in this house,
their authority appealed to, their judgments attested; even
their very words will form part of our discussions and de-
bates. (Cheers.) There are, I may say, some members of
Parliament who, though they may not be present in the
body, are still members of this house—who are independent
of dissolutions, of the caprice of constituencies, and even of
the course of time. I think Mr. Cobden was one of those
men. (Hear, hear.) I believe that when the verdict of
posterity is recorded on his life and conduct, it will be said
of him that, looking to all he said and did, he was without
doubt the greatest political character the pure middle class
of this country has yet produced—an ornament to the
House of Commons, and an honour to England. (Much
cheering.)
Mr. BRIGHT, who evidently laboured under deep emo-
tion, and with difficulty restrained his sorrow during the
delivery of his remarks, then rose and said—l feel that I
cannot address the house on this occasion. Every expres-
sion of sympathy which I have heard has been most grate-
ful to my heart; but the time which has elapsed since I
was present when the manliest and gentlest spirit that
ever actuated or tenanted the human frame took its flight
is so short that I dare not even attempt to give utterance to
the feelings by whieh. lam oppressed. I shall leave it to
some calmer moment, when I may have an opportunity of
speaking to some portion of my countrymen the lesson
which I think will be learnt from the life and character of
my friend. I have only to say that, after 20 years of most
intimate and most brotherly friendship with him, I little
knew lipw much I loved him until I found that I had lost
him. (General cries of " Hear, hear.")
The house then proceeded to the business of the day.

' SUPPLY—THE STATE OF THE DOCKYARDS.
On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Sir M. PETO rose to call the attention of the house to
the constitution and administration of the Board of Ad-
miralty, which he contended was defective in many and
most important respects. He urged that there ought to be
a regular debtor and creditor account kept of each of the
dockyards, that there should be a periodical stock taking,
and that it should be shown how the labour was expended
and applied. He complained of the great unsteadines and
uncertainty that characterised the action of the depart-
ment, and recommended the abandonment of the patronage
system and the substitution of promotion on merit alone,
and that the construction of docks, basins, and other neces-
sary works should be committed to the hands of a board of
engineers to be appointed for that purpose.
After some observations from Mr. G. P. Bentinck, Mr.
H. Robertson, and Mr. Whitbread,
Lord C. PAGET argued, in defending the Admiralty,
that the works which Sir M. Peto wished to confide to a
board of engineers and others were such as nautical men
alone were competent to undertake. He admitted, however,
that if the department were thoroughly reorganised some
useful changes might be effected.
Sir J. PAKINGTON remarked that the Board of Admi-
ralty was not quite what he desired to see it. Nevertheless
he was not prepared to acquiesce in the suggestions of the
hon. member for Finsbury.
Sir J. ELPHINS TONE, in the course of some criticisms
on the Board of Admiralty, referred to the administration
of the department by the late Sir James Graham, which he
declared had proved more disastrous to the British navy
than the great war with France. Under the present sys-
tem the sailors were half-starved and driven to chew
tobacco for the purpose of mitigating the intolerable pangs
of hunger.

Observations were also offered by Mr. Seely and Sir F
Smith, and Mr. Childers (civil lord of the Admiralty) gave
explanations in reply to the speech of Sir M. Peto.

THE NAVY ESTIMATES.

On the vote for £175,957 for officers and contingent ex-
penses of the Admiralty,

Sir M. PETO wished to have a clear understanding on
the subject of the consolidation of the Government offices
at Whitehall.

Lord C. PAGET said the reason why the change had not
been carried into effect was the enormous expense incurred
in the reconstruction of the navy. He hoped those who
succeeded the present Government would make every en-
deavour to concentrate the offices either at Somerset House
or Whitehall. In reply to Sir J. Pakington, the noble lord
said, instead of increasing the staff of clerks, temporary em-
ployment was given to writers.
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote was £284,395 on account of the Coast-
guard Service, the Royal Naval Coast Volunteers, and the
Royal Naval Reserve.
In reply to Mr. AYRTON,
Mr. CHILDERS pointed out that the vote for the Coast-
guard Service showed a reduction upon the vote for last
year.
The vote was agreed to.

On the vote of £70,042 for the scientific branch of tho
navy,

Mr. A. SMITH called attention to the increase of the
estimate for the school of naval architecture. Last year
the item was £2,300 ; this year the sum required amounted
to £4,000.

Mr. Alderman SALOMONS regretted that the collection
of models at South Kensington did not include such ships
as the Warrior, and expressed a hope that means would be
taken to make the school as efficient as possible.
After afew words from Mr. AYRTON, who condemned
the establishment of a school at a point so far distant as
Kensington,

Lord C. PAGET defended the item, and mentioned that
the French Government had for several years devoted a
like sum to a similar purpose.
The vote was agreed to.

A sum of £192,415 was proposed for defraying the ex-
mse of her Majesty's naval establishments at home.

Sir J. ELPHINS T ONE moved that the Chairman report

progress.

Viscount PAL3IERSTON hoped the hon. member
would not press the motion at that early hour (10 minutes
to 12 o'clock).
Sir J. ELPHINSTONE said the next vote was an ex-
tensive one, and it would be impossible to get through at
that late hour.

The committee dividsd—
For reporting progress
Against
Majority •.•
The vote was then agreed to, as was also the sum of
£37,332 for her Majesty's establishments abroad.
The Chairman was ordered to • report progress on the
vote of £1,158,797 for wages to artificers employed in her
Majesty's establishments at home.

... ... ... - 51
-24

CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES.
Mr. PEEL proposed a vote of £1,748,000 on account of
Civil Service Estimates.

Considerable discussion took place on the propriety of
granting such a sum on account, inasmuch as it would
preclude the committee from taking effectual objections to
any of the votes, which it might include when proposed
seriatim on a future occasion.

Eventually on the motion of. Mr:AYRTos, the Chairman
was ordered to report progress, and the House resumed.
The Prisons (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill was read

a second time.

The Small Benefices (Ireland) Act, 1860, Amendment
Bill was read a third time and passed.
Lord ELCHO obtained leave to introduce a bill to pro-
vide for the maintenance of turnpike and statute labour
roads and bridges in Scotland.
Mr. FINLAY obtained leave to introduce a bill to au-
thorise the alteration of the time for holding statutory
meetings of commissioners of supply in Scotland.
The House adjourned at 25 minutes past one.

The Bank Returns. ,

The Banker's Magazine furnishes the returns of the cir-
culation of the private and joint-stock banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending the 4th of March.
These returns, combined with the circulation of the Scotch
and Irish banks for the same period, and the average Cir-
culation of the Bank of England for the four weeks ending
the Ist of March (the nearest date furnished by their
returns), will give the following results of the circulation
of notes in the United Kingdom when compared with tho
previous month :

Feb. 4, March 4,
1865. 186;. (Increase. Decrease.
Bank of England 29,467,783 19,951,941 k 515,821
Private Banks 3,074,15 2,934,480 119,679
Joint-stock Banks 2,788,04 2,733,606 49,483
Total in England 28,339,011 25,645,027 884,681
Scotland 4,167,578 4,069,154 88,412
Ireland 5,713,708 5,70',589 11,119
United Kingdom 36,211,293 35,416,770 784,525

And as compared with the month ending the sth of
March, 1864, the above returns show a decrease of
£380,402 in the circulation of notes in England, and a
decrease of £167,961 in the circulation of the United
Kingdom.

On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the
several banks the following is the state of the circulation:—
The Euglish private banks are below their
fixed issue £1,258,306
The English joint-stock banks are below their
- fixed issue

487,751

Total below fixed issue in England £1,746,057
The Scotch banks are above their fixed ism 3... 4319,883
The Irish banks are below their fixed issue 651,905
The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the mont; n ending the Ist
of March was £14,616,770, being au incl., case of £355,756
as compared with the previous month, awl an increase of
£889,385 when compared with the sat ne period last year.
The following are the amounts of specie held by the
Scotch and Irish banks during the r nonth ending the 4th
of March :

Gold and silver held by the Scotch 'banks £2,422,788
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks 2,098,935

£4,521,678
Being a increase of X 4,064 as compared. with the pre-
vious return, and an increase of .£223,501. when compared
with the corresponding period la,st year.

RAI LWAY INTELLIGE NOE.

IMPERIAL MEXICAN.

A special general meeting of the shareholders in
this company was held on Friday at the London
Tavern ; Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., in the chair.
The report stated that soon after the formal con-
stitution of the company and the receipt of the de-
posit on the shares the Board took measures for the
establishment of the company in Mexico. Mr. T.
C. Sandars, a director, and Mr. Samuel, the
consulting engineer, were sent out to Mexico,
the former to enter into relations on behalf of the
company with the Imperial Government, and the
latter to receive charge of the works and line. On
their return to this country they stated the result of
their mission to the board. The terms concluded be-
tween Mr. Sandars and the Imperial Government
were in various respects more advantageous for the
interests of the shareholders than those contained in
the original concession. The arrangements between
the Government and the company were to take effect
from Jan. 1, 1865. The company were to hold the
concession in perpetuity, with immunity from com-
petition for 65 years. Five years were allowed for
the completion of the works from the Ist January
last, as well as for an annual subscription to the share
capital on the part of the Government of 15 per cent.
of the Customs revenue of the empire. The subscrip-
tion of the State,which it was calculated would amount
to £160,000 per annum, or £BOO,OOO in all, would, it
was estimated, produce not less less than £220,000
per annum, or £1,100,000 of the capital of the com-
pany. The shares which were to be given in ex-
change for the capital thus provided would be ina-
lienable in perpetuity, and would not bear interest
during the construction of the works. Theprivilege
of exporting silver free of duty extended not only to
an amount equivalent to the value of the materials
imported for the purposes of the railway, but also
to a sum of $560,000 per annum for a period of 25
years, being the amount of the yearly payment to
be made by the Government in respect of its sub-
vention. The fares and charges for passengers and
goods were at the absolute discretion of the directors
for the term of 20 years, subject to the maximum
of rates agreed upon between the Government and
Mr. Sandars. After that time they would be subject
to modification on an equitable basis. From the re- 1
port of Mr. Samuel, the engineer, it appeared that
from two sources of traffic alone there was a pros-
pect of considerable returns without taking other
sources of traffic into account.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, said the company was founded on the basis of
receiving a transfer of the concessions made by the
Mexican Government to Mr. Escandon in 1857 and
1861. Mr. Sandars arrived in Mexico in December
last, and was met by all parties with the utmost
cordiality. The Mexican Government at once con-
sented to ratify the concession, and at the same time
to make modifications with a view to facilitate its
working. With respect to the tariff the Government
had assented to the company's charging its own
tariff up to ls. 6d. per ton per mile for first-class
goods, Is. 4d. per ton on second-class goods, and
Is. 2d. per ton. per mile on third-class goods, which
was six times as much as any company was autho-
rised to charge in France. From those rates they
made a reduction of 15 per cent., and perhaps in the
lapse of a year they might make a further reduc-
tion, but the whole matter was practically in the
hands of the company. As to the prospects of the
company they were excellent, and would far exceed
that which would amply satisfy the most sanguine
of its promoters.

The report was unanimously adopted, and spe-
cial thanks were voted to Mr. Sandars for the zeal
and ability with which he had conducted the nego-
tiations between the company and the Imperial Go-
vernment of Mexico. The proceedings concluded
with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors.