The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-10 00:00:00

ment ; Padiham Waterworks ; Petworth Roads ; Stock•
tort and Darlington Railway (re•committed) ; Stour.
bridge Waterworks.

PETITIONS.
Petitions vv9re presented by Mr. Digby Seymour from
certain electors of Hull, stating that they had given their
evidence before the commission on the faith of a Parlia-
mentary guarantee, and praying the house not to outrage
that guarantee; by Mr. Edward Ellice, from poor persons
in the Highlands of Scotland, mostly people of very ad-
winced age, complaining that they are bordering on a
state of starvation, and praying the house to take some
steps to inquire into their condition ; by Mr. Horsfall,
six petitions from Liverpool, praying for inquiry into the
state of, the operative classes in Preston ; by Mr. Cob-
den, various petitions from Lancashire, praying for fur-
ther inquiry into the causes of accidents in coal mines -
by Lord D. Stuart, from Marylebone, against the taxes
on knowledge ; by COL Blair, 17 petitions from Fife,
Forfarshiro, Sutherland, and other places in Scotland,
against the Scotch Education Bill ; by Mr. J. O'Connell,
various petitions from Kerry, against Mr. Chambers's
and Mr. Whiteside's bills on conventual establishments ;
by Mr. Wickham —from the Amalgamated Engineers of
Bradford, for a committee of inquiry into the conduct
of the police at Preston ; also a petition in favour of the
Friendly Societies Bill, with certain alterations-from the
Bradford district of the Order of the Golden,Fleece, the
Powerloom Overlookers' Society, Overlookers' Friendly
Society, and United Foresters ; and petitions against the
Friendly Societies Bill from the Orange Lodges of Idle,
Oddfellows' Lodge of Idle, and Yorkshire Unity of An-
cient Shepherds at Idle ; also petitions in favour in fa-
vour of inquiry into the conduct of the police at Preston
from the Bradford operative tailors and tin-plate workers;
by Sir J. Shelley, from the inhabitants of the Stroud
Union, praying for the closing of public-houses on Sun-
days ; by Sir B. Hall, fit= certain inhabitants of Chel-
sea, praying for the repeal of the taxes on knowledge ;
by Colonel Freestun, from the ministers and, deacons, on
behalf of the Protestant Dissenters of Hope Chapel at
Weymouth, and Melcombe Regis, praying for the ad-
mission of all classes, irrespective of religious differences,
to a full participation in the advantages which .the na-
tional universities afford, and that they consider the
exclusion from them of all but members of the Church
of England, a great practical injustice towards other
religious bodies, and operates unfavourably.. in re.
spe4 to the advancement of education and learning ;
by Mr. M`Cann, a petition from the magistrates, mer-
chants, shipowners, and traders of the county of the
town of Drogheda, embodying a statement of the marine
casualties for the last four and a half years, and praying
that the most efficient survey of the eastern coast of Ire-
land may be made, under the superintendence of the
Government, in order that a harbour of refuge be con-
structed in the most advantageous and eligible position,
for the protection of the shipping interests along that
dangerous coast.

IRISH MEDICAL CHARITIES.
Sir DENHAM NORREYS asked the Chief Secre-
tary for Ireland, whether he purposes, during the pre-
sent session, to introduce a bill to place those of the
Irish Medical Charities which are still supported by
Grand Jury Assessment under the charge of the Com-
missioners for the Regulation of Medical Charities in

Ireland.
Sir J. YOUNG hoped he should be-able to make a.
proposal on the subject in the course of the present
session.

RETURNS ORDERED.
PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.
On the motion of Mr. W. WILLIAMS, an account of
the public income and expenditure of the United King-
dom in the years ending the sth day of January, 1852,
1853, and 1854, distinguishing the actual payments for
the expenses incurred in the collection and management
of the revenue ; for the charges of the public debt (the
terminable annuities being valued by estimate) ; for the
expenses of the civil government ; the allowances to the
royal family and to his Majesty the King of the Bel-
gians ; the establishment of the Lord Lieutenant of Ire-
land ; the expenses of the two houses of parliament, and
the civil departments ; the other pensions on the Conso-
lidated Fund, on the gross revenue, and the civil list ;
also, the payments for the administration of justice, dip-
lomatic expenses, and on account of the sums voted for the
army, navy, ordnance, and miscellaneous services ' • also,
public works, bounties, post office, quarantine and ware-
house establishments,; and all other payments not coming
under any of the foregoing heads ; with an appendix
showing the several items composing each head of the
account (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No.
817, of session 184.
On the rn'otion of Mr. HUME, a copy of all minutes
or correspondence between the Government and the
trustees of the British Museum, respecting alterations
in the management of the Museum, recommended by
the Royal commissioners appointed " for inquiring into
the constitution and government of the British Museum,"
in July, 1847 (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper,
No. 425, of session 1850).
RUSSIAN DUTCH LOAN.

On the motion of Mr. HUME, an account showing
the total or aggregate sum which has been paid by Great
Britain for the principal and interest of the Russian
Dutch loan, under the convention of the 19th day of
May, 1815, and the act 55 Geo. 111., c. 115, stating the
amount paid in redemption of the principal of the debt,
and the amount paid far interest, and the totals paid as
principal and interest, in each year, since the 19th day
of May, 1815 ; stating also the estimated amount of
principal and interest remaining on the Ist day of Janu-
ary, 1854, to be paid by instalments in discharge of this
loan by Groat Britain (in continuation of the account in
Parliamentary Paper, No. 52, of session 1832).

LAW OF ADULTERY.
Mr. BOWYER gave notice that on an early day
,be should move for leave to bring in a bill to amend tho
aw of adultery.
COALS FOR RUSSIA.

Captain SCOBELL asked whether, by the recent
Orders in Council, or by any other authority, are coals
prohibited as contraband of war, or otherwise, from being
conveyed by the vessels of neutral Powers into any port
or place in the dominions of Russia, not being in a state
of blockade ?
Sir J. GRAHAM observed that the question was
one of. great importance, and, at the same time a
very difficult one. Coal was not included in the
terms of the Order in Council, but instructions
had been given to the commander-in-chief of her Ma-
jesty's cruisers that coal was to be treated as an•artiele
of doubtful character, subject to the law of nations, as
declared during the last war. They were to exercise
their discretions in whether i was intended to be con-
siderei merely as an article of commerce or a contra-
band of war, and if there was. reason for the latter
presumption, than they were to seize the ships laden
with it.

IRON GUN BOATS.
Mr. KENNEDY wished to inquire of the First Lord
of the Admiralty, whether both the admirals in command
of our fleets had not asked earnestly for gun boats ;
and had not Admiral Napier asked for iron gun boats
to meet those of the Russians, which were made by a
house in Liverpool ; had not Scott Russell offered to
provide in a few weeks the craft wanted ; and had
not the Admiralty refused to provide iron boats ? and
had it not ordered wooden boats to be built and bought,
which wooden boats would draw twelve feet of water, in•
stead of five, like the iron boats ? Had the Government
ascertained whether any gun-boats had been, or are
being built in the Finland Harbour of the Gulf of
Bothnia, and if so, what number, by the latest accounts ?
and had the Government taken the necessary steps to
efficiently protect the British mercantile flag navigating
the Gulf of Bothnia on the Swedish coast ?
Sir J. GRAHAM really hoped the. house would par-
Oon him if he exercised some discretion and declined to
answer these questions. (Hear.) He did not think it
would- be possible to conduct the war in a satisfactory
manner if questions of this sort were to be answered ;
but for the satisfaction of the hon. gentleman he would.
admit at once that the gun boat force of the Russians was
of a very formidable character, but, at the same time,
it was only right that he should add that ministers had
taken every precaution to meet this formidable force,
and for the protection of British commerce in the Gulf
of Bothnia.
TENANTS' COMPENSATION. BILL.
Mr. P. URQTJHART asked the Chief Secretary for
Ireland what measure the Government intend to take
with respect to the Tenants' Compensation Bill that
passed the House of Commons last session.
SirJ. YOUNG said there was no doubt that Ireland
looked with the greatest interest to these bills, but it
was perfectly impossible for him to give an answer to
this question, seeing that the bill had been referred by
the Lords to a select committee.