The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-26 00:00:00

EASTERN UNION RAILWAY.

Mr. COBBOLD moved that the amended special re-
port of the Eastern Union Railway Bill, and the third
reading be taken to-morrow.
Sir G. PECHELL and Mr. CARDWELL opposed the
latter part of the motion, and it was ultimately with-
drawn, and the former part was agreed to.
Sir G. PECHELL then moved that the third reading
be taken on Thursday next, and in the meantime that
the opponents of the bill be at liberty to point the evi-
dence—Agreed to.

PETITIONS.
Mr. MIALL presented a petition from a place in Lan-
cashire, praying for the repeal of the taxes on knowledge.
Mr. A. PELLATT presented a number of petitions
from dissenting bodies in Southwark against the opening
of the Crystal Palace on Sundays.
Mr. HADFIELD and other hon. members presented
petitions against the Government Education Bill.
ENTRY OF SEAMEN BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Captain SCOBELL reminded the house that the bili
had arrived at it 3 present stage without any statement
in explanation of it having been made to Parliament.
Now, he thought that was not right, and he hoped the
right hon. baronet the First Lord of the Admiralty
would take this opportunity of giving some explanation
of the nature and object of the bill.

Sir G. PECHELL did not think that any explana-
tion was necessary, as the object of the bill was suffi-
ciently well understood. It was looked upon by seamen
as the charter of the navy, and he hoped no time would
be lost in passing it into a law.
Sir J. GRAHAM said it was from no want of cour-
tesy to the house that he had not yet entered into any
explanation of the object of the measure, but in the
Dresent state of the session it was hardly advisable to
waste time with lengthened explanations. He might,
how
hever, mention now, since this appeal had been made
to im, that the object of this bill was to increase the
pay of the lower, second, and first class of seamen en-
which m
tering herade IVlajestys service by id., 2d., and 3d. a day,
sty s
to grant a bounty of one-
fourth to seamen in cases of emergency, and leave the
amount to be paid to the discretion of the Government.
Sir G. TYLER, hoped the Government would lay on
the table of the house such portions of the evidence taken
before the Naval Commission as would not be detrimen-
tal to the public service.
Mr. A. STAFFORD said the evidence was of a pri-
vate and confidential character, and ought not to be pro-
duced.
Mr. WILLIAMS had never opposed any vote for the
purpose of making the navy deficient, but he was afraid
the service would never be in the
St
be until flogging was abolished ate that it ought to
or, at all events, con-
siderably reduced. That mode of punishment had greatly
service had become more perfect. The navy, however,
kept up the old system, and the service was therefore
composed of second-class instead of first-class men_ He
suggested that the same system of courts-martial which
prevailed in the army should be extended to the
and then there would be some prospect of the sen:vi-ce
being rendered efficient.
Mr. MACKINNON thought the French system of
manning the navy might with some advantage be ex-
tended _
to the British navy.

Lord MONK supported the
wellp as
spothe army.salofestablishing
courts-martial in the navy a
Mr. HENLEY did nots attributetshhtil s, butedeenfitciency to
men in the navy to the system of punishments,
causes connected with the pay.
Admiral BERKLEY declared that the fearotfenavy.
punish-
ment was not the cause of seamen not entering hThe house some time ago reduced the navy by 5,000
men ; and now, when they wanted to increase the ser-
vice, they experienced a difficulty in recruiting it, from
the ,they which the activity of the merchant ser-
vice offered to seamen.
The house then went into committee.
On the question that the preamble be postponed,
Captain SCOBELL said the house would do more
towards manning the navy by resorting to a system of
encouragement than one of punishment. At present,
the amount of punishment depended very much upon the
t3mperament of the commanding officer, and it was,
therefore, requisite that some limit should be put upon
his power in that respect. There ought also to be a
redistribution of prize money, for, under the present
system, the flag officer got too much and the seaman too
little.
Sir J. GRAHAM contended that the condition of
the sailor was, if possible, superior to that of