The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-28 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN SMOKE CONSUMPTION
ACT.

Lord REDESDALE, pursuant to notice, rose to ask
the First Lord of the Treasury whether any steps have
been taken to give notice to the occupiers of premises in
this metropolis in which there are any furnaces which
are required, under the act of last session, to consume
the smoke arising from the same, from and after the lst
day of August next, and to the owners of all steam-boats
on the river above London-bridge, that informations
will be laid for the recovery of penalties against all such
as shall not from and after the day appointed comply
with the requirements of the said act ; and to move for
copy of any orders and directions which have been
issued by the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment to the commissioners of police for the metropolitan
district, and to the commissioners of police for the city
of London and the liberties thereof, in accordance with
the provisions of an act passed in the last session of Par-
liament, to abate the nuisance arising from the smoke of
furnaces in the metropolis, and from steam-vessels above
London-bridge. The subject was one of great import-
ance. The act came into operation on the Ist of August
next, and he wished all parties interested to be fully
aware that the penalties to which they would be liable
would be sued for, if they did not comply with the pro-
visions of the act. Sufficient notice had been given to
them, and they had yet plenty of time to make the ne-
cessary arrangements. (Hear, hear.)
Thu Earl of ABERDEEN said the Commissioners of

Police had directed a return to be made oegi Pate:, -
in which furnaces were used, the nature of theitentineeejt,
and the names of the owners, and no doubt `in6tine .*Ould
be given to the parties previous to the acCcomini into jr=.
operation. •
METROPOLITAN INTERME r,
The Bishop of LONDON, pursuant to notice; To
present a petition from the clergymen of 16 parish in••:.
the north and north-east of the metropolis, complaining
of the evils which had resulted from the recent meavure
respecting metropolitan interments. The right rev. pre-
late spoke in a very low tone of voice, and was scarcey
audible in the gallery. The act of the 14th and 15th of
her present Majesty vested in the Board of Health con-
siderable powers—they were empowered to close such
graveyards as they might think necessary, and to pur-
chase new burial grounds and make general regulations.
He was firmly persuaded that it' that act had been car-
ried out, it would have obviated all the existing evils ;
but the Board of Health were not cordially seconded by
the Government, and when they proceeded to carry the
powers given them into effect, they met with nothing
but discouragement, and the act, remained, therefore, a;
dead letter. A number of burial grounds had now been
closed by a peremptory order from the Secretary of State.
and the larger parishes had taken steps to provide ceme-
teries, but a great number of parishes had not taken
any means to provide for the interment of the dead,
and the consequences were very serious. The pea-
goners also complained that the closing of the grave*
yards had taken from them at least one-third of their
incomes. He knew the answer would be that that the
public health required it, and therefore they must not
ask for compensation ' but the emoluments which the
clergy derived from burial fees were as much their
right as tithes. The rector of St. Giles-in-the-Fields,
who had given up a situation of more than 9001. a-year
to take that living would lose 7001. a-year by the opera-
tion of the recent measure. But it was a hardship not
only on the clergy, but on their parishioners, in more
ways than one. The expense of providing decent burial
for their relatives were so greatly increased that in
many cases persons were obliged to apply for assistance
to the parish
; and in others they were obliged to wait
for a week or ten days, or even a fortnight, before they
could scrape together the money to bury their dead.
(Hear.) By the present system the poor were deprived
of their common law right of burial, and not only was it
against the common law to deprive them of the right of
burial, but it was against the statute law also. When
the Board of Health did him the honour to ;consult him
on this question, he thought, and he still thought, that
this public question ought to have been taken up by
Government, and if it had, he had no doubt that many
of the evils that had resulted might have been obviated.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said the statement made by
his right rev. friend certainly called for some notice. The
burial grounds had been closed because public feeling
against them had risen to such a state that that was ne-
cessary; but in doing so, it was clear that great injus-
tice had been committed, and great hardship upon nu-
inerous classes of people. He therefore cordially con-
curred with his right rev. friend in feeling that there
was a necessity for some intervention on the part of the
legislature.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said he wished to im-
press upon Government the absolute necessity of doing
something. The clergy were deprived of fees which wore
secured to them by act of Parliament, which deprived
them of Easter dues and small tithes. One incumbent
had had his income reduced from 9501. to 2001. a year,
with a population of from 15,000 to 20,000. That was
one view of the case. Another view was that it severely
affected the great mass of the poor. It was well known
that under the old system the poor refrained from bury-
ing the bodies of their relatives for several days, but
under the new system instances were known of the bodies
having been kept 10, 12, 14, and even 18 days without
interment, and that in a, room in which 8 or 9 persons
lived. If this were allowed to go on, he did not hesitate
to say that they would be allowed the construction of
10,000 fever nests in different parts of London. He
trusted, therefore, that Government would take into their
consideration the necessity of taking prompt measures
to remedy these evils.
Earl GREY suggested that the matter should be re-
ferred to a select committee.

-
The Earl of HAP,ROWBY said they should not ouly
provide places for burying the dead, but for depositing
the dead before burial. It was of the highest import-
ance that corpses should be removed out of these
wretched rooms as soon as possible. They could not
provide adequate lodgings for all the people, but they
could at any rate do something to enable corpses to be
removed from crowded rooms shortly after death. Go-
vernment ought not to be deterred by the cuckoo cry
against centralisation. They ought in this great metro-
polis to have some centre of action. They could not
afford to leave things in their present state, leaving the
burial of the dead and the supply of water to a scram-
ble between different parties. He hoped that this ques-
tion would receive the most vigorous consideration of
Government. In the measure which was passed two
years ago everything was considered and provided for:
except the funds, but when the Board of Health applied
to Parliament to give life to the machinery which it had
constructed, the apprehension of cholera had passed off
and Parliament refused. He, therefore, called upon
Government into look to the question.
The Bishop of LONDON said, with reference to the
suggestion of the noble earl below him (Earl Grey) it
had been his intention to move a select committee, but
he felt so convinced that after making the statement he
had made, Government would take up the matter that
he did not think it necessary, and what he had heard
from the noble earl at the head of the Government jus-
tilled him in that expectation. After the assurance
' which the noble earl had given he felt perlectly satisfied
to leave the matter in his hands.
SECOND COMMON LAW PROCEDURE ACT.
The select committee on this act was named.
VALUATION (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT

BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
THE FORAGE CONTRACT.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE presented a petition frora
Messrs. Sturgeon and Sons denying the charges of fraud
alleged against them, and praying for inquiry.
The Earl of YAR BOROUGH presented a petition
from .110.11 in favour of preventing the sale of intoxicating
liquor on Sundays.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BILLS.

The Kingston-upon-Hull Dock Bill, and the Liver-
pool Sanitary and other Local Acts Bill, were read a
third time and passed.
The following bills were considered and agreed to :
Hereford Improvement Bill, Bury Port Bill, Rams-
bottom Gas Bill, and the Southport Waterworks Bill.
On the motion that the South Sea Company Bill be
considered,
Mr. S. FOLLETT took exception to the bill.

Mr. Green, Mr. Bouverie, and Mr. Cardwell sup•
ported the bill, which was agreed to after some further
discu.xsion.

WAR WITH RUSSIA.

HER MAJESTY'S MESSAGE.

Precisely at five o'clock Lord .T. RUSSELL, brought
up the following most gracious Message from her Majesty,
which was received with the most profound silence and
respect, the whole of the members present, with one or
two exceptions, removing their hats.
The Royal Message having been placed in the hands
of the SPEAKER, the right honourable gentleman pro•
ceeded to read it as follows :
" VICTORIA REGINA !

"Her Majesty thirr.ks it proper to acquaint the House
of Commons that the negotiations in which her Ma-
jesty, in concert with her allies, has for some
time past been engaged with his Majesty the Emperor
of All the Russias have terminated, and her Majesty
feels bound to afford active assistance to her ally the Sul-
tan against unprovoked aggression.
"Her Majesty has given directions for laying before the
House of Commons copies of such papers, in addition
to those already communicated to Parliament, as will
afford the fullest information with regard to the subject
of these negotiations.

" It is a consolation for her Majesty to reflect that no
endeavours have been wanting on her part to preserve ta
her subjects the blessings of peace.

" Her Majestfa just expectations in that respect have
been disappointed ; and her Majesty relies with confi-
dence upon the zeal and devotion of her faithful Corn.
mons, and on the exertions of her brave and loyal sub-
jects, to support her in her determination to employ the
powers and resources of the nation to protect the
dominions of the Sultan against the encroachments of
Russia."

I rise to Lord J. RUSSELL then rose and said—Sir,
move that her Majesty's most gracious message be taken
into consideration on:Hriday next.
ce agreed The motion was, as a matter of course, at on
`-•

INCOME TAX.
Sir J. PAKINGTOiIi gave notice that on the third
reading of the Income Tax Bill he should call the attend
tion of the house to the manner in which the Govern•
merit proposed to raisie the means for carrying on the
war.

In reply to Mr. WAD.Torx,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that, as regarded the Irish
and Scotch poor, he expected his noble friend (Lord
Palmerston) would be in the house in a few minutes, and
would answer any questions for himself. Ile considered
there \vas no reason to postpone the second reading of
the Settlement and Removal Bill, though the Govern•
ent were not at present disposed to state what specific
in ensure they intended to introduce respecting the Irish
wad Scotch poor in England.
In reply to Sir F. THESIGER.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he would consider betvveett
v and Friday whether he should postpone till after
Eae ter the further consideration of the Oaths Bill.
SETTLEMENT AND REMOVAL BILL.
0 a the order of the day for the second reading of the
abo' 'e bill,
I I\l r. PACKE moved that the second reading be de.
fer r©d till after Easter—viz, till the 28th of April.
Om the question being put there were loud cries of
" c, livide," in the midst of which
1\ 'lr. WALPOLE 1050. U contended that the