The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-05 00:00:00

hTROPOLITAN POKICE.

Sir B. HALL gave notice that he would take the
earliest opportunity next session of moving fore return
of the cost of maintaining the metropolitan police.
SARDINIA AND AUSTRIA.

Mr. P. HOWARD gave notice that on Monday next
he would ask the Secretary of of State for Foreign
Affairs, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Government, either singly, or in concert with her allies,
to mediate between Sardinia and Austria, for the
paci-
CRIMINAL LAW IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.
Dr. BOWRING put a question to the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, whether the Commis-
sion appointed to inquire into the state of the criminal
law in the Chi.nnel Islands had made their report on
the subject, and whether it was his intention to propose
any changes in that law, or any modification of it.
Sir G. GREY was understood to state that the report
bad been made, and that an order iu Council was in pre-
paration for the purpose of carrying into effect the re-
commendation of the Commissioners.
REPUDIATION OF THE TREATY OF 1839 BY
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION.

Mr. DISRAELI put a question to the Noble Lord
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs relative to the treaty
of 1839, by which the duchies of Luxembourg and Lim-
burg were conceded to the kingdom of the Netherlands,
and to which Great Britain was a party. That treaty,
by a decree recently issued by the German Confedera-
tion sitting at Frankfort, had been entirely repudiated,
and that Assembly had announced that it could not
sanction the regulations of that solemn and
salutary treaty.—(liear.). If that treaty was
not observed, the same state of things that
had occurred in Schleswig and Holstein would take
place there, if they had not already commenced. He
wished to ask whether he had any communication on
this important subject to make to the House.
Lord PALMERSTON said the lion. Gentleman had
stated correctly the nature of the treaty made in 1839;
by that treaty a portion of Luxembourg was ceded to the
kingdom of Belgium, and the House was probably aware
that that territory formed part of the German Confede-
ration, of which the Grand Duke was a member. He
bad a right to inquire from the Government of the
Netherlands what had passed between the King of the
Netherlands and the German Confederation in respect
of the annexation referred to.—(Hear, hear.) He
bad not yet received a reply, and therefore be
could not state whether the Government of this country
considered itself entitled to interfere; and if so, in what
way, as asked by the lion. Gentleman?
AMERICAN POSTAGE.

Mr. CARDWELL inquired whether the papers
respecting the American postage question would be laid
on the table before the close of the session. As many
parties were suffering from the present system it was
most desirable that the earliest and fullest information
should be given on the subject.
Lord PALMERSTON said the negotiations were con-
ducted by other departments, and he would reply to the
question on Monday.
TILE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO COMPANY.
Mr. BOUVERIE asked the President of the Board of
Trade, whether the Eastern Archipelago Company have
paid up the portion of their proposed capital required by
the charter, and, if not, whether the charter has been
avoided.

Mr. LABOUCHERE replied that the Queen had
power to determine the charter, if its provisions were
not complied with within a year. The charter was
not completed until nearly a year had expired.
and as this did not arise through any laches of the com-
pany, the Board of Trade had not thought it advisable
to recommend her Majesty to void the charter.
HORSHAM—THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

Mr. ANSTEY, referring to a paragraph in the news-
papers of this morning with respect to the alleged
action against the Attorney-General for penalties, and
stating that the record of the action against him had
been withdrawn, inquired if this was so?
The ATrOIiNEY-GENERAL—I am much obliged
to the lion. and Learned Gentleman for asking the
question. It is perfectly true that an action has been
instituted ; it is also perfectly true that I have done my
best to bring the cause on for trial. I assert, upon my
honour,that the case has not been compromised.—(llear.)

ARMED POLICE.
Lord DUDLEY STUART wished to know whe-
ther it was true that certain portions of the po-
lice had been armed with swords, having. saws
at the back, and if they had, whether it was done by the
sanction and recommendation of the Right Hon. Baronet
the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and
whether it was his intention that they should bo habitually
so armed?
Sir G. GREY could assure the Noble Lord that it
was' not. his wish or intention that the police should t
habitually armed with swords. It had, however, been
the practice when disturbances were apprehended, to arm
the police, and certain portions of the police in London,
Manchester, and Liverpool bad, with his sanction, been
armed with swords, considering it necessary, in conse-
quence of the threatened disturbances in the country.
The swords had been formerly used iu bivouacking, and
for that purpose a portion of the backs of them were ser-
rated, or indented like a s tw. They should he returned
to the Tower as soon as the occasion which had called
for them should have passed away.
DEN M A RK.
Mr. CHRISTY inquired of the Noble Lurd the Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs whether there was any imme-
diate prospect of a friendly settlement of the differences
that had so long prevailed between Germany and Den-
mark, to the great inconvenience of the trade with those
countries?
Lord PALMERSTON said he believed that the com-
mercial inconvenience arising from that state of things
had been much greater on the continent than it had been
in this country, It was ground for great disappointment
that the proposed armistice had not been concludad, but