The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Petitions were 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-
vanced 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,
Forfarshire, 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 bilis 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 e
werloom Overlookers' Society, Overlookers' Friendly
Moiety, and United Foresters ; and petitions against the
Friendly Societies Bill from the Orange Lodges of Idle,
od
Qte 11°Nya 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_for theclosing
inhabitants of the Stroud
rthoo, praying
Ball, of public-houses on Sun-
days ; by Sir B.
sea) Praying 'for the re from certain inhabitants of Chel-
?meta of the taxes on knowledge ;
by Colonel Freestnn,
behalf of the Protestant the ministers and deacons, on
Dissenters of Hope Chapel at
Weymouth, and Melcombeteits;fpraying for the ad-
mission of all classes, irrespe
to a full participation in the advantages
differences,
, and that ris which the na-
tional universities afford
exclusion from them of all but members of consider the
the
of England, a great practical injustice towardsC Church
religious bodies, and operates Unfavourably other
- in re-
spect to the advancemt 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 mari •
ne
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, b
of refuge be con
r our
in order that a ha
strutted in the most advantageous and eligible position,
the shipping interests along that
for the protection of
dangerous coast.
LAW OF ADULTERY.
Mr. BOWYER gave notice that on an early day
he should move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the
law of adultery.
IRISH MEDICAL CHARITIES.
Sir DENHAM NORREYS asked the Chief Secre-
tary for Ireland, whether he purposes, during the e
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.

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,R,useia, not being, in
a.state
of blockade
Sir J. GR=AHAM observed that the question was
One of great importance, and at the same time a

very difktult 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 article
of doubtful character, subject to the law of rations, as
declared during the last war. They were to exercise
their discretions in whether it was intended to be con-
sidered 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.