The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-08 00:00:00

fourti)72bition

SUN OFFIOE, Seven o'clock.

EPSOM RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

(BY BXPRBSS.)
SELLING STEEPLECHASE.

Slashing Painter
Timothy
Napoleon

Eight ran.
Slashing Painter sold for Eighty Guineas.

HURDLE RACE.

Caurire

Malmesbury
Quickstep ...

Six ran. Won in a canter.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS---(THIS EVENING.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

PETITIONS.

The Earl of RODEN presented petitions from several
places against the admission of Jews into Parliament ;
also a petition from the county of Cavan against the con.
tinuance of the grant to Maynooth.
The Earl of SHAFTESBITRY presented several peti-
tions, praying for the inspection of nunneries.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS BILL.

This bill! was read a second time on the motion of
LORD GRANVILLE.

FOREIGN SEAMEN IN BRITISH SHIPS.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented a petition
from the master mariners, mates, and seamen of Hartle-
pool against any repeal of the provision of Act 12 Vic.,
restricting the number of foreign seamen in British
ships. The noble earl expressed his regret at the fact
of the tonnage of this country not having increased
in the same proportion as that of foreign coun-
tries. The increase of shipping on the continent had
been of late years 66 per cent., and in this country only
21. The actual number of our seamen falls short of the
calculated returns, and short pay, which was about 91.
per year, was hardly sufficient to supply them with ne-
cessaries. It would be highly impolitic to assist the
shipowners by reducing the rate of wages, and thereby
reduce the number of seamen. On the maintenance of
the maritime strength of this country its safety depended,
and that was a question of more importance than the in-
terest of any single mercantile class. There was no loss
which would be more fatal to the country than that of
the hearcs of its brave defenders.

Lord GRANVlllEdepr6cate d a discussion upon a
subject which would so soon, in a more tangible form,
occupy the attention of the house. A measure was uow
under the consideration of the Government, but nothing
could be further from their intention than lo reduce the
rate of wages to the seamen. It was not his opinion
that the employment of foreign seamen would injure the
English sailor. A very large number of English sailors
were at present in the American service. He must enter
a protest against the idea going forth to the country that
the Government intended to bring in any measure which
would have the effect of reducing the wages of the Eng-
lish seamen.

Lord COLCHESTER was of opinion that the em-
ployment of foreign seamen was highly prejudicial to the
English sailors.
Earl GREY could not regard the measure which the
Government were about to introduce as calculated to
reduce the wages of British sailors. There was no law
which prevented the introduction of skilled labour into
this country, and he did not see why the maritime ser-
vice should form an exception. His belief was that the
employment of foreign seamen would not have the effect
of decreasing the rate of wages.
The Duke of ARGYLL said that it was the expecta-
tion of the Government that the measure which they
were about to introduce would have the effect of better-
ing the condition of the sailors of this country. England
was essentially a maritime country, and need not fear
free competition with any other nation.

GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL.
This bill was read a third time.

Their lordships then adjourned at a little after six
o'clo ck.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes to four
o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.
Mr. PRITCHARD took the oaths and his seat for Bridg.
north.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Blackburn Railway and the Norfolk Estuary Bills
were read a third time and passed.

COCKERIVIOUTH ELECTION,

The members of the Cockermouth election committee
were called to the table and sworn. The committee was
appointed to sit to-morrow at 11.

ATHLONE.

The members of the Athlone election committee were
called to the table and sworn. The committee was also
appointed to sit to-morrow at 11.

PETITIONS,

Petitions were presented by several hon. members
against the opening of the Crystal Palace on Sunday,
and against the admission of Jews into Parliament.

Sir B. HALL presented a petition from Marylebone
against the city toll duties.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition from the cor-
poration of Carlisle in favour of the reform of the crimi-
nal law ; also a petition from Cockermouth in favour of
the ocean penny postage.
Mr. ALCOCK presented a petition from East Surrey
against the Canada Clergy Reserves Bill.
Sir J. V. SHELLEY presented a petition from the
wood engravers of Westminster, praying that the Crystal.
Palace might be opened on Sundays.
Captain SCOBELL presented a petition from seamen
in the port of London, against the Merchant Seamen's
Bill.

Mr: R. PALMER presented a petition from Berk-
shire, against the attorneys' certificate duty.
Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Knaresbo-
rough complaining of the withdrawal of the petition
against the return for that borough, and praying that a
commission be appointed to inquire into the practices at
the last election.

Mr. Sergeant SHEE presented petition from the coun-
ties of Donegal and Kilkenny in favour of the Tenant
Right (Ireland) Bill.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Coldstream,
praying for the repeal of the Scotch University Tests.
Mr. C. T. CHAMBERS presented a petition from
St. Albans, in favour of National Disarmaments
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition front the
Trustees of the British Museum, praying for the annual
support of the house.

Sir J. V. SHELLEY presented a petition from West-
minster, in favour of the reduction of the duty on tea,
to ls. per lb.

Mr. PELLATT presented a similar petition from
Southwark.

Mr. 1-117 ME presented a petition from Arboath in
favour of the bill for abolishing University Tests in Scot-
land.

DOCKYARD APPOINTMENTS.

Sir B. HALL gave notice of the terms of the motion
which he intended to move on the 19th of April next.
The substance of it was that he would call the attention
of the house to parliamentary papers of the present ses-
sion, Nos. 67, 271, and 272, relating to dockyard pro-
motions and appointments, and move the appointment
of a select committee to inquire into the circumstances
connected with the cancelling, on the 9th of Ap►il,lBs2,
of the circular of the Admiralty of the 26th of September,
1849, without any order or minute of the Board
of Admiralty ; also into the circumstances under which
a letter addressed by Sir Baldwin Walker to Mr. Staf-
ford, the Secretary of the Admiralty, in which letter he
tendered his resignation, and why that letter was with-
held from the board; and also into the circumstances con-
nected with the appointment of Mr. Jas. Wells as master
smith of Portsmouth Dockyard, and the subsequent can-
celling of the same, and the appointment of Mr. Geo.
Costell in his stead, and generally into the exercise of
the influence and patronage of the Admiralty in several
Parliamentary boroughs at the 1 st general election.
BORNEO.

Mr. HUME stated that in consequence of the Go-
vernment having told him that it was their intention to
institute an inquiry into the proceedings at Borneo, it
was not his intention to proceed with his motion on the
subject.
REFORM OF THE CORPORATION OF LONDON.
In reply to Sir B. HALL,
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was the intention of the
Government to appoint very soon a commission for the
purpose of inquiring into the reform of the corporation
of the City of London, and of preparing a measure on
the subject. (Cheers.)
CANADA CLERGY RESERVES.

Sir J. PAKINGTON asked Lord J. Russell whether
he had consulted the law officers, or was otherwise pre-
pared to state the opinion of her Majesty's Government,
whether, in the event of the Clergy Reserves (Canada)
Bill, now before the house, being passed into a law,
and the Legislature of Canada exercising the power
that would be given to them to secularise the
clergy reserves, the guarantee upon the Consolidated
Fund, which is given to the Churches of England and
Scotland in Upper Canada by section 8 of the Act 3
and Vie., c. 78, would still he in force, and would per-
tanently secure to those Churches respectively the
nual sums specified in the said section of the said
act ?

Lord J. RUSSELL said Nt ith respect to the stipends
which are now
assigned and paid to the clergy of
the Churches of England
and Scotland, I know not that
there will he any doubt as to the provisions of the. bill.
Zihat clbrgy wi4l. still have a right to
;claim the
,taai.nd , stipends which are already assignedytoath
pro-
vided the clergy:nisei-Ow are not sufficientefinor
pay-
ment, then-they-will have a claim on the consolidated
fund, as is given to them by the existing law. If the
right hon. gentleman, however, wishes to ask further,
whether, in the case of the clergy reserves being secu-
larised, any of the clergy who may be hereafter appoint-
ed would have a claim on the consolidated fund, I have
to say that that is a question on which the law officers
of the Crown have not been consulted.
Mr. BRIGHT wished to know whether in the nego-

ciations which had taken place with the Archbishop of
Canterbury the contingency had been alluded to that
possibly the clergy reserves might be secularised or
alienised by the Canadian Parliament, and whether the
Archbishop of Canterbury had given his assent to the
measure on behalf of the Church of Scotland, which re.,-
pudiated bishops ? (Laughter.)
Lord J. RUSSELL—I thought I had stated clearly
to the house what took place on that occasion. Sir R.
Peel was the person who undertook the negotiations on
the subject. I did not see the archbishop, nor had I
any communication directly with him. The negotiations
were carried on directly by Sir R. Peel, but I believe
the Archbishop of Canterbury did not take into contem-
plation the secularisation of the clergy reserves. I cer-
tainly do not remember any such contingency being
referred to them. With regard to the other point,
the Archbishop of Canterbury did not undertake
to answer for the Church of Scotland ; but I believe he
and Sir R. Peel communicated with certain parties be-
longing to that Church—to the Commissioners of the
General Assembly,—who are held to represent that
Church, and whose authority has not been disputed.
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 dusting, shall be per-
mitted.

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 PAKINGTON,
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.