The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-29 00:00:00

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Lord LOVAINE asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether the electric light at Dungeness Lighthouse
had not been successful, whether it was intended to
adopt it by the Trinity Board in the Portland lights, and
moved for the reports of Mr. Faraday and the Trinity
Board on the subject.
Mr. GIBSON answered the first question in the affirma-
tive, and with regard to the second he stated that the
subject was under negotiation. He had no objection to lay
the reports alluded to on the table.
CONSOLIDATED FUND APPROPRIATION BILL.
On the order of the day for the third reading of this bill,

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY drew the attention of the Go-
vernment to the cost of the Chinese war, in reference to
which he required some exp:anation.

Sir J. ELPHINSTONE made some remarks on the sub•
ject, in the course of which he denounced the Taepings as
a set of lawless brigands with whom no treaty would be
binding, and he appealed to the Government not to adopt
any course that would tend to injure the commerce of this
country with China.

Lord R. CECIL deprecated any debate on China.
After some remarks from Mr. HAMLET,

Mr. PEEL agreed with hon. members that the bill
should be printed, and entered into some explanations.

Sir 11. CAIRNS said that as a portion of the money
provided for in this bill was voted for the administration of
the law in Ireland, he wished to draw the attention of the
Government to the processions that had taken place
recently in Ireland.
After a few words from Mr. HENNE-SY,
Sir R. PEEL said that the processions alluded to did
not infringe the Act of Emancipation. In one
case the parties carried green banners, but it was
merely because it was a national colour, and not
with a view to make a party display. There was no party
tune played, and one of the pieces was Brian Boirhome's
march. (Laughter.) The right honourable gentleman
defended the course of the Government in respect to this
matter at some length, and said the object of the Irish
executive was to preserve the balance of justice as between
both parties in Ireland.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD observed that the state of affairs
in China was so serious that it would not be right to let the
session close without requiring some information from the
Government upon the subject. He believed that we were
on the eve of such events there that it was impossible to
say that the provisions made in the Appropriation Bill
would be sufficient in view of the difficulties surrounding
us. He wished to know, then, what information the Go-
vernment had received with regard to the present position
of affairs in China, and whether reinforcements had been
urgently demanded from India in support of our forces al-
ready in China. The hon. gentleman also observed that the
Chinese policy of the Government in reference to the rebels
was attended with great danger, and he feared that we were
once more about to embark in a Chinese war.
Lord PALME RSTON said that the Government had
not to his knowledge received any information bearing upon
the points referred to by the hon. gentleman. We were
defend those war in China, except so far as was necessary to
positions at which our trade was carried on ;
and if they fell into the hands of the Taepings our com-
merce would be annihilated.

In reply to Lord H. LENNOX. and Mr. OSBORNE,
Sir G. C. LE WIS said in his opinion the select ordnance
committee was sufficient for the purpose of inquiring into
the results of the recent trials of the Armstrong gun,
and suggesting any improvements that might seem to be
required. He denied that the Armstrong gun, whether for
naval, field, or garrison uses, was a failure. On the con-
trary, be held that it was the very best gun in the service,
although it might be susceptible of improvement.
After some observations from Mr. MONSELL, the bill was
read a third time and passed.
UNION RELIEF AID BILL.

On the order for committing this bill,
Mr. OSBORNE directed attention to the effect of the
36th section of the Reform Act on the franchise of working
men in the manufacturing districts of Lancashire and
Cheshire who may be in the receipt of parochial relief. The
operation of that clause in the present circumstances of the
workpeople would be a wide-spread disfranchisement, and
seeing how well they had conducted themselves in the pre-
sent crisis, he suggested that a clause might be introduced
into the bill providing that the reception of parochial relief
should not in such cases act as a disqualification.
Sir G. GREY should regret if, in addition to the pressure
they Were suffering, the working classes in the manufac-
turing districts had also to experience the loss of their
political franchise, and that owing to circumstances over
which they had no control. He did not apprehend, how-
ever, that in the present state of things persons would be
found to object largely to voters who received relief during
the year. They would act unworthily if they did so; but
he did not consider that sufficient ground had been laid for
altering the law, and hoped that the mere fact of the hon.
gentleman having called attention to the subject would pre-
vent parties from tali lug such objections.
Subsequently the house went into committee, and Mr.
VILLIERS stated that, having considered the pointat which
the bill ought to come into operation, he had determined to
amend it by fixing ss. in the pound on the annual rateable
value, instead of two-thirds of the average of the three
preceding years, as originally proposed. He also intended
substituting an order of the Poor-I tw Board for an order of
the Queen in Council ; and at the suggestion of Mr. POTTER
consented to include Derbyshire in the bill, but declined to
admit Yorkshire, Cumberland, and Nottinghamshire.
A new clause embodying the above amendments was sub-
sequently brought up by Mr. VILLIERS, and after discus-
sion was ordered to stand part of the bill. Mr. AYRION
then moved an amendment empowering boards of guardians,
with the sanction of the Poor-law Board, to borrow any sum
not exceeding h ilf the amount of the rateable value, and
apply the money so raised in payment of any charges im- I
posed under the bill on the common fund of the union. This
proposal elicited a debate on the comparative merits of a
rate in aid and a loan on the security of the rates, the ba-
lance of opinion being apparently in favour of the plan con-
tained in the bill. Ultimately the amendment was nega-
tived, and the bill passed through committee, and was or-
dered to be reported to the house on Wednesday.
The Burial Beards (Mortgage of Rates) Bill, the Council
of Medical Education Bill, and the Stipendiary Magi
strates
Bill, severally passed through committee.
The Security of Purchasers Bill, which had come down
from the Lords, was withdrawn.
The amendments to the Night Poaching prevention Bill
were considered, and several divisions taken
upon them
after a warm and animated debate.
Other measures were advanced a stage,
and the how,
journed.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL GRAY'S-INN-ROAD.—
The number of patients relieved
week endin Jul 26 at this hospital during the
g y was 3,014, of which 976 were new,
eau§