The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-09 00:00:00

NATIONAL GALLERY.

Mr. SEYMOUR wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer if the Government will give orders that until
the select committee shall have reported to the house on
the National Gallery, no cleaning of the pictures therein
contained, except careful dry dUsthig,
mi tted.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would make inquiries into the subject, and give an
answer on Monday.

LYME ELECTION.

In reply to Sir JOHN PAHINGTON,
Mr. TUFNELL said it was not his intention to
proceed with the motion of which he had given notice—
viz., to move the issue of a new writ for the borough of
Lyme.
METROPOLITAN GRAVE-YARDS.
Mr. SEYMOUR said according to the return pub-
lished by the Registrar General, it appeared that the
deaths last week in the metropolis numbered 1,748, while
in the corresponding week last year the number was
1,130, and therefore the mortality last week was 618
above the average of ten years, making due allowance
for an increase in the population. He wished on that ac
count to ask the Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment when the grave-yards and burial-places within
the city and metropolis of London are to be finally
closed, and what further steps have been taken to pro-
vide the means of extramural interment.
Lord PALMERSTON could only repeat what he had
already stated to the house, namely, that competent
medical officers had been appointed to inspect all the
graveyards in the metropolis. Many of the graveyards,
upon their report, had been closed by an order in Coun-
cil, and he had no doubt that the same course would be
pursued in reference to the others. With regard to
making future arrangements for the burial of the dead,
he apprehended that such arrangements must rest with
the parishes concerned, but he thought the ground
which had been recently purchased near Woking would
be found amply sufficient to meet the demands of the
metropolis for some time to come.
NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.
Mr. F. SCULLY wished to ask Lord John Russell,
whether any arrangements have been adopted to insure
the sale of books intended for the use of the Irish Na-
tional Schools, to the promoters of schools and the pub-
lic, in an authentic form and at a moderate price.
Lord J. RUSSELL replied in the affirmative.

THE FUNDS.
Mr. DISRAELI said the amended resolutions on the
subject of the public funds had been placed. in his hands
to-night ; and as there were numerous alterations in
them, he should be glad to know if it was intended to
take a vote upon them to-night, or only to have the
statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon
them ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that would depend upon the house itself. It would
be for the house to determine, after hearing his state-
ment, whether it would proceed at once to a vote or
postpone it until next week.
WEST INDIA MAIL.

In reply to Mr. SPOONER,
Sir J. GRAHAM stated that complaints from all the
outports were daily pouring into the Admiralty of the
irregularities which were constantly taking place in the
dispatch and arrival of the West India mail. The West
India Steam Packet Company were in receipt of
270,0001. for carrying the mails, and these irregularities
were most unjustifiable, but the company insisted
that as these irregularities related to a point of time,
they did not vitiate the contract, and the subject had
been submitted to the law officers of the Crown. (Hear,
hear.)

THE NATIONAL DEBT.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the
preliminary resolution, that the house resolve itself into a
committee on the Consolidated Fund and National Debt
Redemption Acts.
On the motien of Lord JoIIN RUSSELL, Mr. Bouverie
took the chair amid considerable cheering.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.—It is now
my duty, sir, to explain to the committee, as well as I am
able, the nature of the proposition which, on the part of
her Majesty's Government, I have to make to them in re-
spect to the operations of the National Debt ; and the
course which I think most convenient for the committee
to take will be, that I should in the first instance state the
plan which her Majesty's Government recommends for
adoption, and that I should then put together, before I
sit down such alterations as have been made in the draft
resolutions since they were first distributed. Tho com-
mittee will then see both the plan as it is, and the altera-
tions separate from the plan. I shall not commence this
explanation by dwelling in any degree upon the import-
ance of the subject. I would rather, if I could, after
viewing the amount of public interest which it has excited,
endeavour to moderate such expectations as may have
been formed in the public mind. Ido not recommend the
proposition that is now before the committee as a proposi-
tion which can effect any sweeping or fundamental change,
but I recommend it to them as a propositionwhich is just
and prudent in itself, and which will probably lay the
foundation for more extended improvements in future. The
committee ought to understand that there is the broadest
possible distinction between our position at the present
time and the potition in which former finance ministers
have stood whenthey have produced extensive operations
of this kind. Every one of those operations between the
peace and the year 1844, when they were ably wound up
under the auspices of my right honourable friend the mem-
ber for the University of Cambridge, by a plan which was