The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-10 00:00:00

TYRONE.

Major S. KNOX asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether his attention had been called to the circumstances
that occurred at the late assizes for the county of Tyrone,
which led to the quashing of the jury panel and postpone-
ment of the trial of prisoners ; and whether, he had any
objection to lay on the table a copy of Mr. Justice Chris-
tian's ruling quashing the said panel as -returned by the
sheriff?

Sir It, PEEL said that this subject had certainly ex-
cited some feeling in Ireland, and he had communicated
with the learned judge and other authorities on the matter.
It appeared that there had been a challenge of the array of
the jury, and the learned judge in question ruled that chal-
lenge. It was not correct that the prisoners had not been
tried.

MARRIAGES OF CHRISTIAN CONVERTS IN
INDIA.

Mr. TORRE NS asked the Secretary of State for India
whether he had received a copy of a bill introduced into the
Legislative Council of the Governor-General of India, to
legalise the dissolution of, or in some way to legislate re-
garding, marriages contracted by Christian converts previ-
ous to their conversiou ; and if so, whether he would lay a
copy upon the table : should no such copy have yet been
received, would he lay a copy upon the table of the house
whenever the bill might be received?
Mr. T. BARING said that there was not any copy of the
document alluded to in the possession of the Government.:

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Mr. CA.IRD asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department if he would state to the house, and lay upon
the table, the substance of the replies by the Courts of
Quarter Sessions to his circular on the subject of agricul•
tural statistics ?

Sir G. GREY said that the question of the hon. member
had reference to the employment of the police in the collec-
tion of these statistics, and the reports received were gene-
rally unfavourable to the use of that agency.

CAPTAIN COLES' PLANS.
Lord ROBERT MONTAGU asked the Secretary to the
Admiralty when Capt. Cowper Coles first submitted to the
Admiralty his plans, which have lately been adopted for ships
of war; if such plans were to be reported on at the time;
and, if so, by whom, and whether that report was favour-
abla or otherwise: and if there was any objection to lay the
papers on the subject upon the table of the house ?

Lord C. PAGET said that the Admiralty had no objec-
tion to laying any information before the house which hon.
members might require, but it would be inconvenient if the
Admiralty were to be called on for information respecting
all the inventions submitted to them. It would be attended
with considerable inconvenience if the reports of the confi-
dential officers of the Admiralty were to be made public.
When her Majesty's present Government came into office
they entertained the same feeling with reference to the
shields of Captain Coles that their predecessors had done,
not only with regard to their application to batteries, but
also to ships. It was found, however, that there was some
difficulty in the execution of the shield, but when that had
been surmounted, and the experiments proved satisfactory,
inventions, the
the house was applied to for a grant for their construction.
time to time, and
With respect to the general subject of
had tcakapentainthemco ul
Coles
frothh e had
asAdmiralty
related,
been put on
full pay, and claimed £1 a-day for his expenses during the
hforowever,his w
invent not
ions. re-
eo'
carrying out of his invention.
This
t
garded in the light of reuiuD.rain
(Hear, hear.)

MR. SAMUELSON'S GUNBOAT.
Lord FERMOY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whether it was true that, so far back as last autumn, Mr. A.
Samuelson sent in to the Board of Admiralty plans and spe-
cifications for a double-skinned self-submerging gunboat,
similar to the Naugatuck already built by Mr. Stephens for
the Federal Government of America • and, if so, whether