The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-18 00:00:00

COLONIAL FORTIFICATIONS.

The Earl of CARNARVON drew the attention of their
lordships to certain charges connected with Colonial
fortifications and defence, with the object of moving for
espies of correspondence between her Majesty's Govern-
ment and tho Governor-General of Canada in referenceto the
Militia Bill proposed and passed in the Canadian Parliament.
'rho noble earl having referred to the civil colonial expen-
diture which in the last year amounted to £937,000, pro-
ceeded to notice the circumstances connected with the
annexation of Lagos which, ho said, took place in
defiance of the remonstrances of the native chiefs. The
SUM expended for civil service 'in the colonies
bore no parallel to the sums required for colonial fortifica-
tions ; and in looking over the Army Estimates he found
that money was to be taken for strengthening and improv-
ing Malta, Gibraltar, Bermuda, the lonian Islands, the
Mauritius, Jamaica, St. Helena, Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, and New Brunswick. With respect to the two
first mentioned places, it was absolutely necessary that they
should be kept in the most efficient state, yet that was far
from being their present condition, notwithstanding the
money that had been laid out upon them. With respect to
Bermuda, it was principally of importance as a lookout station
for the American coast, and he should be glad if that idea
could be carried out, but without great improvements, he
was afraid its present condition rendered it far from useful. It
was well known that the Mauritius required at least a gar-
rison of 4,000 or 5,000 men for its security, and he should
like to know whether, in the event if a war
should unfortucately arise, the Government would be able
to allow so large a force to remain isolated at the Mauritius.
Already £140,000 had been expended on the place, about
£15,000 was in process of being laid out, and he supposed
before the plans were completed about £50,000 more would
to required.

[LEFT S?EAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tins DAY;

The SrEmail. took the chair at 20 minutes past 12
o'clock, 40 members not having been in attendance before.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords amendments to the following bills were agreed
to, and the bills were ordered for third reading. The fol-
lowing bills were read a third time and passed :—Carnar-
vonshire Railway; Charing-cross Railway (City Terminus
Bridge) ; and Pulteney Harbour.
NIGHT POACHING PREVENTION BILL.

Sir G. GREY begged to correct an error in reference to
what he had stated on the second reading of this bill. Ho
did not say that he proposed to make any amendments on
the bill, but that he hoped the hon. baronet who had charge
of the bill would give notice of any amendments which it
was his intention to propose in committee.
LUNATICS LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill, resuming at
c'au,:e 30, which was agreed to. Clauses 31, 32, and 33
were also agreed to.
On clause 34,

Mr. BUTT moved the following And the guardians
of every union and of every parish under a board of guar-
dians, and the overseers of every parish not in a union nor
under a boas d of guardians, shall visit once at the least in
each half-yeitr all asylums, hospitals, and licensed houses
in which there are any pauper lunatics chargeable to such
union or parish, and shall inquire as to the dietary accom-
modation and treatment of such lunatics, and whether any
of such pauper lunatics appear in a fit state to be discharged
and shall enter in the visitors' book such observations as
they may think fit to make respecting the condition and
treatment of such lunatics, and the book containing the ob-
servations made in pursuance of this section by the visiting
guardians or overseers shall be laid before the commissioner
or commissioners and visitors on his or their next visit."

Sir G. Grey, Mr. Henley, and Mr. Barrow opposed the
bill on the ground that compulsory visitation instead of
voluntary visitation would not only entail considerable ex-
pense, but would be attended with injury to the pauper
lunatics.

Mr. HIBBERT supported the amendment which was
in operation in Lancashire, where it was found to work
very satisfactorily.

The amendment was negatived, and the clause was
agreed to, as were the remaining clauses.
Mr. HENLEY moved the addition of the clause em-
powering the visitors and the guardians of any union
within the district for which the asylum has been pro-
vided to make arrangements, subject to the approval of the
Lunatic Commissioners and the President of the Poor Law
Board, for the reception and care of a limited number of
lunatics in the workhouse of any particular union.
The clause was agreed to and read a second time.
Some other clauses were added to the bill, and the house
resumed.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (IRELAND) ACT
(1860) AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill went through committee without discussion.
DRAINAGE (IRELAND) BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill, resuming at
clause 15.

The clauses to 63 inclusive were agreed to.
On clause 61,

Sir ii. BRUCE objected to the clause as charging on the
county rates the cost of the construction of works far the
purpose of draining the land of private proprietors, and ho
moved its omission.

After a long discussion the clause was negatived on the
understanding that Colonel French should bring up an
amended clause on the report.

Col. VAN DELEUR moved the rejection of clause 67,
which provides that millowners should pay for any addi-
tional water they may receive on acccunt of these works.
The committee divided—
For the clause
Against it
Majority
The clause was agreed to.

All the remaining clauses were agreed to, on the
suggestion that other clauses providing for appeals in cer-
tain cases should be added,
Mr. SCULLY addressed the committee until 4 o'clock,
when the sitting was suspended. At 6 o'clock the house
resumed, and was

[LEFT SITTING.]