The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-20 00:00:00

LIFE RAFT.

Mr. OT WAY asked the First Lord of the Admiralty,
whether he had any objection to lay on the table of the
house the report made by Sir Baldwin Walker, in the
month of March, 1854, on the Patent Tubular Life Raft,
invented by Mr. Parratt. The hon. gentleman adverted to
the recent loss of life in the Europa, which he and others
attributed to the want of sufficient boat accommodation
on hoard this ship.
Sir J GRAHAM demurred to the hon. gentleman's
statement of facts, but there would be nii'objection to the
production of the report. The Board of Admiralty had
decided against the boat.
On the motion of Mr. °TWAY the report was ordered to
be laid on the table.

THE TIGER.

Sir G. PECHELL asked if any provisions would be
made for securing the comfort of the prisoners of war
who had belonged to the ill-fated Tiger.
Sir J. GRAHAM replied in the affirmative. Arrange.
ments would be made through the agency of an ambassador
at St. Petersburg of a friendly Power.
MINISTER OF WAR.
In reply to Lori D. STUART,
Lord J. RUSSELL stated that it was proposed to take
a vote for the expenses of this office.
MR. STRUTT.
Mr. STRUTT entered into an explanation of the circum-
stances which had led to his resignation of the office of
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lanclster. In the first forma-
tion of the present Government he was unexpectedly
requested by the noble lord the President of the
Council to accept that office. He was at the time
unacquainted with the duties of the office, but he knew
they were light, and he accepted the office upon the under-
standing that the whole of his time should be at the dis-
posal of the Government. He afterwards discovered, how-
ever, that the office imposed no Parliamentary duties
whatever upon him, and he more than once requested to he
relieved fro.n its responsibility long before ho had an
opportunity of resigning it. Shorly after the Whitsuntide
recess he received a communication which induced him to
wait upon the Lord President of the Council, from whom
he learned that arrangements had been made for re-orga-
nizing the Government, whichonly-waited his concurrence.
In point of fact ho was told that the completion of these ar-
rangements would require him to resign his office, and he at
once in reply to their appeal tendered to the Crown the
resignation which he had held since the first formation of
the present Government. Reports had gone abroad that
he had either been a party to these arrangements,
which he disapproved of, or that he had attached
a condition to his resignation, but he could assure the
house that there was no foundation for such reports. He
had been no party to the arrangements which his noble
friend referred to, nor was he driven into the resignation
of his office ; but after hearing the' istateixtenrof hi 4 'noble
friend he immediately, without consulting any one, ten-
dered the resignation of his office. This was a simple state-
ment of the facts of the change which had taken place in
the Government with regard to himself. (Cheers.)

POLICE BILL.
Mr. P. MILES' wished to know if it was intended to
bring in the second reading of the Police Bill to-night.
Lord J. RUSSELL said certainly not to-night, nor on
any day this week. Probably it would be taken next
week, and he would give due notice of the day.
AFFAIRS OF GREECE.

Mr. COBDEN asked the noble lord if he could afford
hire a day for bringing under the attention of the house
the papers relating to the affairs of Greece ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said if the hon. gentleman would
give notice of any motion he might wish to submit to the
house on the subject, he should be ready to consider
whether any day could be given for bringing on that
motion.
OUR AMBASSADOR AT TURKEY.

Mr. BRIGHT remarked that there was a rumour abroad

that the ambassador from this country to the Sublime
Porte had been recalled, and he wished to ask the noble
lord if there was any truth in that statement ?
Lord J. RUSSELL had not heard the report, but there
was no troth whatever in it. (Cheers.)