The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-26 00:00:00

LEFT SPEAKING.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords Amendments to the Brighton and Hove Gas
Bill and the Guild of Literature and Art Bill were consi-
dered and agreed to.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Bagenalstown and Wexford Railway (No. 2), Bideford
Roads, Cornwall Railway; Duiley, Halesown, and Brooms-
grove Roads ; Edinburgh Roads, Londonderry and Ennis-
killen Railway, London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway ;
Middlesex Industrial Schools, Stockport, Rectory Division,
West Bromwich Improvement, &c. ; Winchester and
Petersfield Road.
The following bills were considered, and ordered to be
read a third time :—Dowlais Railway, Glasgow Suspension
Bridge, and South Devon and Tavistock Railway.
PETITIONS.
Petitions were presented by Mr. CAYLEY, from 13,000
colliers of Cumberland and Durham, praying for in-
creased protection against accident in coal mines; by Mr.
RICH, from Richmond, against opening public houses on
Sundays ; by Mr. Mownniiv, from places in Devon, with
the same prayer; by Mr. A. PELLATT, from the Congrega-
tional Union of England and Wales, for opening the uni-
versities to all classes of her Majesty's subjects; by Sir W.
CLAY, from places in Wales and Yorkshire, praying for
he abolition of church rates.

LOSS OF THE TIGER.
Admiral WALOOT wished to ask the right hon. bart.
the First Lord of the Admiralty if the Government had
received any information with respect to the reported loss
of the Tiger.
Sir J. GRAHAM could only state that her Majesty's
Government had received no communication with respect
to the alleged loss of the Tiger, excepting that which had
come through the medium of the telegraph; but such tele-
graphic communications had been received from various
parts of the Continent ; and although there was no direct
information upon the point, yet, from the concurrent tes-
timony which had then been received on the subject, left
no doubt that the fact stated was substantially correct.
THE SIMOOM.
Mr. MACARTNEY asked the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty if he would lay before the house a return of all
repairs made to the machinery of the Simoom subsequent
to her list return from Malta, during which voyage her
engines are believed to have repeatedly failed ; and to state
to the house whether the steam•power of that transport (in
all other respects most excellent was reported serviceable
previous to the embarkation of the 79th, and, if so, by
whom? Whether any official or other report has reached
him of the' progress of the Simoom steamship, so far as
Gibraltar, employed to convey the 79th Highlanders to
the East, to the effect that the engines of that vessel broke
down five times 'in four days, first failing within a few
hours of leavino. Portsmouth, before the ship reached the
Needles, so that for the last three days she relied altogether
on her sails, disconnecting Ler screw, and raking out her
fires.
Sir J. GRAHAM said no official information had reached
the Admiralty with respect to the Simoom, but of all the
transports, he knew for a fact that She was the most con-
venient and comfortable for th ) troops. At the seine time,
be was bound to admit that her engines were not of the
best construction, but in the course of the last 18 months
she has performed a voyage to the Cape, to Canada, while
once or twice she had been out to a Mediterranean.
Under these circumstances, and in the pressure of the
moment, it had been thought advisable to use her
again for the conveyance of troops, and intelligence
had been received that she had safely arrived, with all
well, at Gibraltar.

GUN BOATS.
Mr. F. FITZGERALD wished to ask the First Lord of
the Admiralty whether it was true that her Majesty's
steam gun-boat Cuckoo, Lieutenant Murray commanding,
now fitting out for service in the Baltic, was proceeding to
her destination without any medical officer on board ' • and
whether he was aware that, although application had been
made to the Admiralty for the appointment of a surgeon,
no reply had been given to that application.
Sir J. GRAHAM said it was quite true that such an
application had been made to the Admiralty, but it was
not intended that gunboats should be employed against the
enemy except in conjunction with larger vessels.
BLOCKADE OF RUSSIAN PORTS.

Mr. HEADLAM asked the First Lord of the Admiralty
whether an effective blockade is now in force as against
any of the Russian ports in the Baltic or Black Sea, or,
if not, whether any information can be given as to the in-
tentions of the Government on the subject.
Sir J. GRALIAM replied that both in the Baltic and
the Black Sea it was intended to institute a rigorous
blockade of the Russian coast; and although no official
intelligence had been received of the fact, he had reason to
believe that a blockade of Riga already existed, and an
effective force was on the spot for carrying such blockade
into execution. With respect to the other ports in the
Baltic or the Black Sea, he had received no such certain
information ; but so soon as he should receive such infor-
m ition, an official notification of the fact would be given
in the Gazette.

Mr. M. GIESON asked whether it was intended to com-
mence .a vigorous blockade of the Russian coast on the
White Sea?

Sir J. GRAHAM replied that it was not intended at
present to blockade the Russian ports of the White Sea.
COMMANDER IN CHIEF AT MADRAS.
, Sir J. W. HOGG wished to ask the President of the
Board of Control, whether, upon the occasion of the
vacancy in the office of commander in chief at Madras,
caused by the death of General Stanley, it is the intention
of her Majesty's Ministers to advise her Majesty to select
for that appointment an officer from the army of the East
India Company.
Sir C. WOOD replied that the subject had not yet been
brought under the attention of the Government.
CONVENTION BETWEEN THE FOUR POWERS.
Lord D. SMART asked Lord J. Russell whether he
would lay upon the table copies of the convention or treaty
lately signed between Austria and Prussia ? Also, whe-
ther any convention or protocol relating to the present
state of Europe had been lately signed between England,
France, Prussia, and Austria • and if so, whether he would
lay it upon the table, or state' the general purport thereof
to the house ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said a protocol had been signed at
Vienna between England, France, Austria and Prussia,
the terms of whin
had not yet been received in this
country, but when they did arrive he should take care
they should be laid upon the table.