The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-02 00:00:00

NEWSPAPER STAMP.
Mr. M. GIBSON gave notice that after the recess ho
should ask the Government what course they intended to
take in consequence of the resolution which the house had
come to on the subject of the newspaper stamp.
SALT MONOPOLY OF INDIA.
In reply to Sir J. PAKINGTON,
Sir C. WOOD stated that a correspondence had taken
place with the Government of India on the subject of the
salt tax, and an inquiry was now going on with the view
of ascertaining if the duty could not be collected by way
of excise,
An Hon. MEMBER asked when the Indian budget
would be disclosed.
Sir C. WOOD could not bring it forward until he re-
ceived the final accounts from India, which were closed on
the last day of April.
CHOLERA IN JAMAICA.
Sir J. PAKINGTON wished to ask the Under Secretary
of State for the Colonies whether her Majesty's Govern.
ment have lately received any information as to the reap-
pearance of cholera in Jamaica; and whether it is intended
to take any measures, either by the renewal of the appoint-
ment of an inspector, or otherwise, for the promotion of
(
sanitary regulations in the West Indies ?
Mr. F. PEEL stated that in the early part of this year
some cases had occurred, but it was hoped by this time
that the epidemic had subsided. The West India colonies
were uniting together for the purpose of establishing sana-
tory regulations for each.
THE lONIAN FLAG.
Mr. HUME asked how ships, with the lonian flag, now under the protection of England, will be treated by
Russia
—are they to he neutral in the eyes of England and France?
Lord J. RUS SELL said, after mature deliberation, it
had been decided by the Government and the Law Officers
of the Crown, that the lonian Islands being under the pro-
tection of her Majesty,could not be considered as a neutral
state.

OPERATIONS IN THE BALTIC.
Mr. HUME asked the right hon. the First Lord of the
Admiralty, if he could give the house any information of
the operations of the fleet in the Baltic ?
Sir J. GRAHAM replied that to-day a despatch
had been received at the Admiralty from Sir C.
Napier, which was dated " Hango Bay, at the en-
trance of the Gulf of Finland, 23d May," and which
gave an account of a gallant exploit that had been
performed by the Arrogant, a frigate, and a small
steam vessel under the command of Captain Hall, called
the Heels, on the 23d of May. These ships heard of three
large Russian merchantmen being at anchor in an inlet
fully ten miles inland, and under the fire of a fortress of
considerable strength, besides a fire of musketry from a
large force on troops on land, Captain Hall, in de-
fiance of the fire both of the fortress and mus-
ketry, succeeded in getting inland, and in a most
gallant manner cut out the only Russian merchant-
man he could find there, which he carried back to the fleet
in triumph. Sir C. Napier remarked that this exploit
was worthy of the best time of cur naval history. (Cheers.)
He might add that the fleet was in the best order and con-
dition. At the time the despatch left the French fleet
had not yet joined, but it was expected to do so in
about five or six days, so that by this time it must have
joined the British squadron. (Hear, hear.)
SUCCESSION DUTY.
Mr. HEA.DLAM asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether it was his intention to introduce, during this
session of Parliament, any measure to impose a tax upon
land held by corporations, and for permanent objects,
equivalentimposed
to the Succession Duty
upon other
la
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was
not intended to introduce such a measure this session.
DRESS OF THE ARMY.
Sir G. HEATHCOTE asked the Secretary at War if it
was the intention of the Government to take any steps to
make the dress and accoutrements of the army more con-
venient, and in accordance with the requirements of actual
service, especially in hot climates ?
Mr. S. HERBERT replied that this subject had been
under the consideration of Lord Raglan, who had it in
cotemplation to dispense with the stock of which so much
complaint had been made, as well as to make other altera-
, Lions to render the dress of the troops in the East more
adapted to the climate. (Cheers.)
Mr. H. HERBERT asked if it were true that an altera-
tion was about to be made in the regulations respecting
shaving. (A laurth.)
Mr. S. HERBERT could not announce that any charge
had been made in the regulations respeeting shaving, but
from the terms of Lord Raglan's letter, which had been
receivod on the subject of the dress of the soldiers, it
would appear that his attention had been called to that
subject also. (Hear.)

[LEFT SITTING.]

THE LONDON GAZETTE.

(THIS EVENING.)

the corruption in 1852, and something ought to
be done beyond merely suspending the writ. He
wished, therefore, to ask the noble lord if the Government
have any intention to propose any further measures for
the repression of bribery- and corruption in those boroughs
which have been the subject of inquiry under commis-
sioners specially appointed ; and if they propose the sus-
pension of the writs until any such measures shall have
been considered by the house.
Mr. BUCK thought the Conservative party of Barnstaple
had been very badly treated by the house. Attempts
had been made to establish bribery against them by means
of perjury which was wholly unnecessary, because at the
commission 240 electors came forward voluntarily to con.
fess their past faults, on the understanding that
they would not be punished for the confession.
An effort had been unsuccessfully made to break
that pledge, but now that the bill was withdrawn
which was to have accomplished that, he hoped the house
would let byegones be byegones, and consent to issue a new
writ for the borough.
Mr. F. FRENCH thought the house was taking an un-
constitutional course in delaying the issue of these writs.
Mr. L. KING moved, as an amendment, that no new
writ should issue in any of these cases, until the 30th of
December next.

Mr. DISRAELI supported the original motion but at
the same time he announced that at the expiration of the
seven days notice he should not be prepared to consent
to any further postponement of these writs.
Mr. BOUVERIE reminded the house that the course
they were taking was likely to be attended with great in-
convenience, because in consequence of this seven days'
notice, the motion for issuing the writ would take the
motion out of the category of a question of privilege, and
it could not be brought on at an early period of the even-
ing, but could only be taken in its turn. He should there-
fore move that when the motion was to be made for the
issue of one of these writs, it should take the precedence
of all other business.
Mr. GOULBURN should object to that addition to the
motion.

. --
Sir E. DERING supported the original motion.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought the issue of these writs
ought to be postponed until the noble lord's new reform
bill was introduced. (A. laugh.) These were such gross
cases of corruption that there was no getting to the bottom
of them, and to allow these writs to be issued without
first taking steps to prevent a repetition of such abuses
would be simply absurd. It would be tanta-
mount to telling the country that the house was
not sincere in its desire to prevent bribery and cor-
ruption. These boroughs had been convicted of in-
sufferable corruption, and now the house shrank
from the task of inflicting upon them the punishment
which they so well merited, namely, to disfranchise them,
and establish new constituencies. The war could not last
for ever, though no doubt this year it would serve the
purpose of defeating all measures of social reform ; but
let the war be brought to an end, still any measure
of Parliamentary Reform would remain unpopular in the
house, because the house was not in earnest in either that
or this matter.
Mr. BRIGHT had no difficulty in saying that the house
ought to agree to the original resolution. The punishment
of bribery as inflicted by the house was most ineffectual
for its purpose, and since there was no means of meeting, these cases of bribery the most prudent and con-
stitutional course for the house was to proceed to the
issue of the writ. (Hear, hoar.) Having disposed
of these cases in that easy way, it would then be open to
the house to consider what steps should be taken for the
prevention of bribery, and then he should be prepared to
urge the ballot as the best remedy for the evil.
Sir J. V. SHELLY also believed that bribery would
never be put an end to until the ballot was adopted.
Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply to Mr. STANLEY'S ques-
tion, stated that it was not understood to propose any
fresh measures with regard to these boroughs; but he be-
lieved if the writs were delayed until a now law of bribery,
which was now being investigated by a select committee,
there would be some chance of the abuse being checked at
the next election.
Mr. J. HUME asked if the new law in contemplation
failed, would there be any objection to try the ballot.
Lord J. RUSSELL replied that if the new means failed
the Government would be prepared with some other
remedy.
The amendment was then withdrawn, and the origin& motion was agreed to.