The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-15 00:00:00

THE COMMAND IN IRELAND.

Mr. VANCE asked the Secretary of State for War
whether it was true that the general who was to succeed
Lord Straithnairn as Commander-in-thief in Ireland
was to be sent there with reduced pay and allowances to
those uaibally given to officers commanding-in-chief in that
country,

Mr. OARDITELL replied that the allowance to Sir
William Mansfield would be precisely the same as to
Lord Straithnairn.
GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS.

Mr. FAWCETT asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department if he would state the reasons why he
had adopted a course different to the majority of his
colleagues, and had recommended that first appointments
to clerkships in the office over which he presides should
not be obtained by open competition.
MR. BRUCE replied that the number of clerks to which
the hen. member referred was about twenty, and upon
the average one vacancy occurred in the year. The
reason why he had departed from the course
adopted by the majority of his colleagues, was
that which had influenced the late Lord Clarendon
No inconsiderable portion of the duties required
from the clerks being of a confidential character, personal
honour and trustworthiness, as well as intellectual attain-
/ taents, secured by competitive examination, were neces-
sary.

THE CONTINENTAL DISPUTE.
Mr. DISRAEII : I am at all times unwilling to press her
Majesty's Government unnecessarily, but, in the present
-critical state of affairs, I feel bound to ask the right hon.

....gentleman opposite whether it is in his power to make any
k'amunication respecting the misunderstanding which
I
;spears, unhappily, to exist between two of her Majesty's
A.).,,,rincipal allies. (Hear, hear).
Mr. GLADSTONE : I regret to have to say I must ask the
right hon. gentleman and the H". -e to be contented with
a very brief statement on the present occasion. I have,
Si, no. specifiq intelligence to convey to Parliament of
a nature to satisfy the natural and universal desire of
the country to hear that all differences in
connection with the candidature of Prince Leo-
pold for the throne pf Spain are completely at an
end. However, I can state that all communications
between France and Prussia upon that subject have not
been brolight entirely to a close. I need scarcely add
that we shall continue to use every effort for the removal
of the difficulties which stand in the way of peace.
(Applause.)
-Mr. HORSMAN : It has been stated by the Minister of
Foreign Affairs in the Chamber of France, and repeated
yesterday in the Constitutionnel, that the Government of
France, in the course they were pursuing, had the sym-
pathy and the moral support of every Cabinet in Europe.
(;I am sure my right hon. friend will be glad of the oppor-
tunity given him of stating whether the statement with
regard to the Cabinet of Great Britain is correct.
(Applause.)
Mr. GLADSTONE : I can only say in reply to
the . very natural question of my right honourable
.friend_that I do not think it would be for the public inte-
rest that I should ei.ter into detail on the particular
subject to which he has referred. But this I may say,
. that Lord Granville has addressed a communication to ,
Paris on the subject of the declaration to which my right
hon, friend refers.