The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

ISLAND OF CUBA.

- -
In reply to Lord BROUGHAM,-
The Earl of CLARENDON said about three weeks.
ago the Consul-General at Cuba had reported that, in
consequence of certain very stringent instructions being
sent out by the Spanish Government for the suppression
of the slave trade, a very great amendment had taken
place in the practices at Cuba. A notorious slave dealer
had been arrested and imprisoned, and though it was
reported he had since been released, he had received no
official information of the fact.

HACKNEY CARRIAGE DUTIES (No. 2) BILL.
The standing orders having been dispensed with, the
bill went through its several stages, and was passed.
THIRD READINGS.

The following bills were read a third iime and passed :
—Militia Pay, Land Tax Redemption Act Amendment,
South Sea and other Annuities (Provision for Pay-
ment, &c.), Apprehension of Offenders Act Amend-
ment, Betting Houses, Commons Inclosure (No. 3),
Female Convicts, Loan Societies, Marriages (Holy
Trinity Church, Hulme) Validity, Friendly Societies,
Copyhold, &c., Commission Continuance, Metropolitan
Sewers Act Continuance, Customs Consolidation Act,
and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.

Their Lordships adjourned at a few minutes after six
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY. )
The SPEAKER took the chair at five minutes after three
o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.
The Hon. Mr. LYTTLETON took the oaths and his seat
for South Staffordshire, in the room of Major General
Anson, who had resigned.

LORDS' AMENDMENTS.
Mr. BROTHERTON moved that standing orders,
Nos. 74, 175, and 201, in the case of all private bills
returned from the Lords with amendments, be sus-
pended—That the Lords' amendments be considered
forthwith.—Agreed to.

PETITIONS.
Mr. MASTERMAN presented several petitions from
the metropolis in favour of the legalisation of marriage
with a deceased wife's sister.

Sir J. DUKE presented a petition from a Sunday.
school in London, against the opening of the Crysta,
Palace on Sundays.
ASSAULTS ON WOMEN.
In reply to Mr. AGLIONBY,
Lord PALMERSTON said he had seen with great
regret the numerous cases which were reported of as-
saults upon women, but he hoped when the Aggravated
Assaults Bill came fully into play, and was better
known and understood by these brutes in human shape,
it would have the desired effect in deterring them i
the commission of such offences ; but certainly, if it did
not, his mind would be very much altered as to the
punishment which should be awarded.
CHOLERA AT HAMBURGH.
In reply to Mr. BUTLER,
Lord PALMERSTON said he was not aware that any
information had been received by the Government as to
the outbreak of cholera at Hamburg, but it was a mat-
ter which properly belonged to the department of
foreign affairs. He should think, however, that if there
had been any outbreak of cholera, it would have been
noticed in the newspapers quite as early as any infor-
mation could be received by the Government.
Mr. WILSON said a communication had just been
received by the Treasury for the Board of Health, en-
closing a dispatch for our consul at Hamburg, which
stated that 30 cases of cholera had broken out there, but
it did not say whether any of them had proved fatal.
GUANO.
In reply to Col. BLAIR,
Lord J. RUSSELL said the subject so important as
the recent discovery of guano on the east coast of Africa
would receive the serious attention of the Government.
TERRITORY OF MOSQUITO.
Lord D. STUART asked whether the negotiations
between this Government and the Governments of Cen-
tral America and the United States, with regard to the
territory of Mosquito, were terminated ; if not, whether
the noble lord would explain to the house the state of
those negotiations ; and whether he would have any ob-
jection to lay before the house any portion of the corre-
spondence on the subject?
Lord J. RUSSELL said he was sorry to answer, that
the negotiations had not terminated. Various proposi-
tions were made by her Majesty's Government to the
Government of the United States, and he had hoped
they would have led to an amicable settlement of the
question, but the last communication received from that
Government was unsatisfactory so far as regarded the
acceptance of the propositions, although they appeared
to her Majesty's Government to be most reasonable and
conciliatory in their character. He was unable to state
at present the exact nature of the negotiations, but he
would be prepared to lay the whole papers on the table
next session.
In reply to a question from Sir De L. EATANs,
Lord J. RUSSELL said, redress had been ordered by
the Government, in all cases in which it appeared to
them any hardship had been suffered.
EDUCATIONAL GRANTS. _ _

Mr. A. PELLATT asked the noble lord the member for
the City of London, what sum was included in the ag-
gregate vote of 281,7651. (for public education in Great
Britain), for establishing new schools in towns where no
town councils exist, in conformity with the Minute of
Council, whether the sum so voted for this special object
would be expended during the suspension of the proposed
Education Bill ; also, in the event of that bill being ul-
timately wholly withdrawn, whether the minute of
council in question would be rescinded, and the money
deducted from the current year's educational grant,
thereby reducing the large excess of 100,000/. as com-
pared with the expenditure of 1852
Lord .T. RUSSELL said, so far as regarded that part
of the bill which applied to places having town councils,
the sum voted would not be expended ; and as to the
question of the hon. gentleman as to establishing new
schools in towns where no town councils existed he begged
to state, that it was the decision of the Government that
where cases of that kind occurred, and were brought
before the committee of the Privy Council, grants ought
to be made in conformity with the minute of the board.
With respect to the other question, when in the event
of the bill being ultimately withdrawn, the minute
would be rescinded, that was a subject for considera-
tion hereafter, and he could not now therefore give
any positive answer to the hon. gentleman on that point.
PENAL CODE OF PORTUGAL.
Mr. KINNAIRD wished to ask Lord John Russell
if any informationto eedehoradrseaaicdhetdo thhaeveGhoveeenrnpmaesnsetdwhityhtrhee-
ference to a late
Queen of Portugal,
subject
ofand
that sanctionedkin gdom byis the
condemned Cortex, by
o
which any
and imprisonment, varying from one to three
should
do anything, by word or in
the opinion of the Govern-
myfiwenraeitrtis7nilafywhbheeichcO innsidered as an insult to any of the dog-
masen of the Roman Catholic religion, or attempt to pro-
pagate doctrines contrary to that religion, or celebrate
public acts of worship differing therefrom, and by which
any foreigner convicted of similar offences is to be ban-
ished from that kingdom. And if so, whether he had any
objection to lay a copy of such decree, or extract there-
from, on the table of the house. Also, if any provision
has been made for the protection of the rights and liber-
ties of the subjects of her Majesty resident in or visiting
that kingdom, in conformity with the treaty of July 3,
1842, by which treaty the right was guaranteed to them
of building and maintaining, without hindera,nce, places
of public worship, and the free exercise of their religion
was promised to them. And if so, whether he would lay
a copy of such provision on the table of the house, to-
gether with copies of any correspondence between her
Majesty's Government and that of the Queen of Portu-
gal on this subject ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said her Majesty's Minister at
Lisbon had only sent over portions of the decree, but it
was evident the decree did not infringe the treaty, be-
cause there had been no complaint to that effect on the
part of any British subject. There was consequently
no intention or necessity, as yet, to remonstrate against
the decree.