The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-07 00:00:00

T z •

more convenient for the public that the centre of
the radius should be fixed at Charing-cross instead of
Temple-bar. There were 121 cab-stands west of the •
centre, while to the east there were only 97, and of these
39 were in the City.
ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT.
Mr. I. BUTT wished togask thettorney-G-eneral for
Ireland whether any steps had been taken to make ar-.
ranements that the sittings of the Encumbered E
Court shall be in the neighbowhood of the courts states
of
law.
Mr. KEOGH said the Treasury was now corm:uln, 1
eating with the Board of Works on the subject.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
Mr. KINNAIRD wished to ask Lord John Russell
what course had been adopted by her Majesty's Govern-
ment with reference to the criminal code passed last year
by the Legislative Council of Malta, and sent home to
be laid before her Majesty in Council, which contained
sundry new enactments adverse to religious liberty ;
whether the provisions of the said code (as far as relates
to offences against religion), of which a translation was
furnished to the house in a return delivered on the 15th
day of August last, have been adopted, altered, or can-
celled ; whether her Majesty's Government are prer64
to furnish any kit* information of their intention in
this matter.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the objectionable code
been annulled by the Government, and a new code had
been substituted. for it, which it was hoped would be
ppnd more consonant with the promotion of religious
liberty,
Mr. S. WALPOLE—WiII there be any objection to
lay the new code on the table !
Lord JOHAI RIMSELL—None whatever, if the
right honourable gentleman will move for it.
ENGLISH CHURCH IN PARIS.

application for a site, or for pecuniary m-
gr.. WISE wished to ask the Commissioner of Works
whether a
been made to him by the committee
a:2
application
had
proposing to erect a church in Paris ; and, if such
application has been made, whether her Majesty's
Ministers intend to recommend a grant of the
public money towards the erection of this church,
or to give a site for the same ; also whether
the Commissioner of Works has sanctioned the de-
struetion of the embassy stables at Paris, and contem-
plates granting the land on which they are erected, valu-
ed at 800/., for the purpose proposed by the abovemen-
tioned committee; Aso, whether there is a Treasury mi-
nute, made during the administration of the late Sir R.
Peel, recommending that the Eritisli government should
neither build nor purchase churches in foreign countries.
§ir W. MOLESWORTH, in answer to the first cines-
tion, said no application had been made to him by the
committee, but a repest had been made to him from the
TreaOry office to ascertain if the plot of land adieining
the embaZIIV would be a suitable site for the new
Church. He dcsired that a report should be supplied to
him on the subjeYte but the report 44. pot yet
reached him. With regard to the second question,
he begged to say that he had not sanctioned
the destruction of the stables attached to the eipbassy.
;'Pith ;regard gto the] third questioi; he had , caused
an fh:luiry to be made at the Treasury, 'and he found
that no glich minute existed.

-
CUSTOMS PROMOTIONS.
Mr. PELLAI7I begged to ask the Secretary of the
Treasury whether the promotion of two-fifths of the
lockers and weighers in the Customs service, instead of
one-fifth as originally !intended, had worked satisfac-
torily to the Government and the employes.
Mr. WILSON said the commissioners of Customs were
not to blame for the few promotions which took place, for
they had caused a return to be made to them of officers
who were worthy of promotion, and that return con-
tained the names of 66 superintending officers and 33
surveyors. Of the 66, however, 60 declined to submit
to the examination which the law required, from a con-
viction that they were incapable of passing it, while 29
of 33 surveyors declined the examination from a simi-
lar feeling. The others who passed the examination
were promoted, and they were now fulfilling their su-
perior duties to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of
her Majesty's Customs.
ELECTORS OF BNGLAND.
Sir F. KELLY wished to know if the Government
were in possession of an amended return of the electors
of England and Wales ; and if so, had they any objec-
tion to produce it before the new measure of reform was
brought forward ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said the Government were in pos-
session of such a return, and there would be no objection
to produce it before the second reading of the new mea-
sure of reform.
ASSAULTS ON WOMEN.
Mr. PHINN wished to ask the Secretary of State for
the Home Department whether it was the intention of
her Majesty's Government to introduce any measure
this session for the better protection of women and chil-
dren from assaults.
Lord PALMERSTON said he had no intention at
present to propose any measure in addition to that
passed last session, as he did not think sufficient time
had yet elapsed to enable the Government to judge of
the effect of the law as it now stood.
• LAW OF STORMS.

Mr. HEYWOOD wished to ask the First Lord of did
Admiralty, if an office will probably be established to co-
operate with Captain Maury and the American Govern-
ment, in oceanic and other scientific observations ; and
whether the important collections of observations on cur-
rents, winds, and temperature, already in possession of
the Admiralty, may be rendered accessible to the head
of the proposed office.
Sir J. GRAHAM said Captain Beechey had been re-
quested to report on the subject, and in accordance with
the gallant Captain's report, her Majesty's ships in all
parts of the world, as well as many merchantmen sailing
from London, would be required to make periodical
returns of their meteorological observations.
MILITIA FOR SCOTLAND AND IRELAND.
Lord JOCELYN wished to know if Government had
any intention to introduce a measure for enrolling a
militia force in Scotland ?

Lord PALMERSTON said it would be his duty to
bring in a bill to consolidate all the laws respecting the
militia, and it certainly was his intention to propose in
that bill an arrangement by which a militia force might
be organised in Scotland.
Col. DUNNE—May I ask the same question with
regard to Ireland ? (A. laugh.)
Lord PALMERSTON—I see no reason for placing
the three countries on a different footing with respect
to the militia.