The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-23 00:00:00

THE RETURNED FENIAN CONVICTS.

Sir G. JENKINSON asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, whether his attention had been
called to an account in the Times of Saturday, the 19th
instant, of the arrival hi Dublin of a body of ten
released Fenian convicts from Australia ; also an account

in the same paper of a mob parading the streets of Cork,
with a blazing tar barrel and other uproarious demonstra-
tions in honour of the same released convicts ; and whether
he wha of opinion that such proceedings, arising in conse-
quence of the release of those convicts by her Majesty's
Government, were conducive to the peaceable administra-
tion of the law in Ireland ; and whether these released
conVicts had been brought back from Australia at the
expense of the taxpayers of the United Kingdom.
Mr. BRUCE said the attention of the Government had
been called to the proceedings that had taken place in
Dublin. It appeared that the released Fenians on
their arrival were taken to the theatre, and
on leaving it it was attempted to get up a
procession, but the police interfered, and the at-
tempt was at once abandoned. At Cork an attempt was
also made to get up a demonstration, and a few women
and children and other idlers followed a cart on which
was placed a lighted tar-barrel, but the police
again interfered, and the crowd dispersed without making
any resistance, so the authorities vindicated the law and
suppressed all attempts at disturbance. With
respect to the cost of the return of the convicts
he had to say it had not fallen on either
the ratepayers or the Government. He could not say who
did pay the expences of the passage home, neither did he
know the name of the ship in which they arrived. lle had
seen the notice of the meeting at which it was said Mr.
Butt, Q.C., was present, and the hon. member might rest
certain if he had used language that was at all improper
it would not escape the attention of the Lord Chancellor.

THE COLONELS ON HALF-PAY.

Lord RONALD GOWER asked the Secretary of State

for War whether his attention had been called to a letter

in the TinteB, of the 7th, signed " H.P." in which it was
stated that the colonels on half-pay of the purchase army
received nothing from the country for their services, and
that the interest of their money paid to the Secretary
of State for War was more than sufficient to provide
their half-pay, and whether those statements were
correct.

Mr. CARDWELL said that a lieutenant-colonel had
three choices Op= to him if he wished to retire. The

he hoped the report would be ready in the course of a few
days.

LORD CAMPBELL'S ACT.

Mr. HANBURY-TRACY asked the Secretary to
the Board of Trade if it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to introduce a bill during the session to modify Lord
Campbell's Act, 9 and 10 Vic. c. 93.

Mr. LEFEVRE said it was not the intention
.of the
Government to introduce such a bill during the present
session.

THE METRIC SYSTEM.
Mr. JOHN BENJAMIN SMITH asked the Secretary
to the Board of Trade whether he was prepared

to state in what manner the Government intends
to deal with the present anomalous state of the laws
relating to weights and measures ; and whether it was the
intention of her Majesty's Government to bring in a bill
during the present session of Parliament with a view to

remedy the defect in the existing Act, and to establish
the metric system in the place of the existing system of
weights and measures in the United Kingdom.
Mr. LEFEVRE said the report of the Royal Commis.

sion on the subject had pointed out certain anomalies on
that subject, and had recommended legislation, but it had
been thought better to defer such until the formal report
of that commission Lai been received.
TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH
AMERICA.
Mr. MATTHEWS asked the' Postmaster-General

whether he was aware that a concession had been granted
by the North German Confederation for a line of tele-

graphic communication between G ermany and Ameiica,

and that the -Board of Trade had authorised the landing
at Lowestoft of a cable from North Germany as one of the
links in that line ; and whether a request had not been
made to him on behalf of the purchasers of the concession
to make arrangements for the connection of the cable
to be landed at Lowestoft with the wires of the Anglo-

American Company in London ; and whether he was pre-
Pared to accede to that request.
The Marquis of HAItTINGTON said the facts were
as stated. Application had been made, and the matter
was now under consideration.
THE POST OFFICE.

Mr. PELL asked when it would be possible to place
Hinckley, in Leicestershire, in connection with the tele-
graphic department of the General Post office.
The Marquis of HARTINGTON said he could not give
any precise answer. The authorities were using their ut-

most endeavours to serve all parties, and no unnecessary-
delay would take place.
TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN.

In raply to Colonel French,
Mr. GLADSTONE said he had not had an interview with
Lord Cairns, but he had received through him a memorial
from the students of the college asking that all offices
might be thrown open irrespective of religious creed. He
would be happy to produce the memorial if moved for.