The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-29 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDSHI'Hu4spAy.

The Lord Chancellor took his seat on the woolsack at
five o!clock, at which hour there was a .very full attend-
ance of peers. The space before the throne was crowded,
and the galleries were occupied by a number of ladies.
The statement prothised by the Forein Secretary with
respect to the Franco-Prussian war was the cause of the
unusual attendance in the House.

Count Bernstoff, the Prussian Ambassador, occupied a
seat with a party of ladies in the peeress's gallery.
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.

Earl GRANVILLE advanced to the table and said—ln
accordance with the promise he had made to their lord-
ships he would proneed to make the statement, although
he had nothing that could be called new to communicate.
He should not occupy their attention for any long period,
and he was glad to say he had no eloquence or oratory to
indulge in. He then referred to the two precedents for a
similar statement when negotiations to prevent war had
failed. The first was in 1823, when Mr. Canning, in a
magnificent speech, announced the failure of the nego
tiations between France and Spain ; and the secon
was in 1854 on the outbreak of the war in the Crimea.
He quite agreed that Parliament had a full right to know
what was now doing, and he should assume that their
lordships had read the papers that had been presented.
He had also stated the result of a conversation he had
, had with M. Lavalette, and, practically, their lordships
were fully acquainted with all the matters to which the
Governments had been a party, The position of the
Government was a most difficult one. They found them-
selves, as it were, in an inflammabie building full of ex-
plosive materials, with matches lighted ready to set them
on fire. The time was short, and the urgency pressing,
and the affair full of delicate points to meddle
with. Their efforts had been successful up to
to a certain point, and it was lamentable after that to
have to find their failure subsequently full and complete.
The noble earl then referred in warm terms to the exer-
tions of Mr. Layard which had prevailed to so great an
extent with the Spanish Government, and with Prussia,
that they had withnrawn the candidature of the Prince of
Hohenzo lern. The efforts of Lord ,Lyons in Paris had
been most indefatigable, and he had succeeded in delaying
the declaration of war at least for five days. He then
proceeded to refer to the interview of the French Ambas-
sador with the King of Prussia, which he described as a
most regrettable incident, for he believed that neither
party had the idea of offering insult to the other,
although he would not go so far as to say that
if it had not occurred the war would not
have taken place. Her Majesty's Government then ad-
dressed themselves to reconcile the feeling now excited
between the two countries. They suggested that any de-
claration of the King of Prussia renouncing the candida-
ture of the Prince of Hohenzollern should be made to
England as a neutral Power and mediator. This was de-
clined by both, and England then appealed to the article
of the Treaty of Paris for a reference to a conference of
the Great Powers. This was rejected by France, and not
accepted by Prussia. Hostilities having been declared,
there was only one course open to the Government to pur-
sue, and that was to observe a strict and impartial neu-
trality. He was glad to say the Government had
received the most friendly acknowledgments of good
offices from all the Powers. It was, however, true that
there had been subsequently remonstrances that this im-
partial attitude was favourable to one or other of the bel-
ligerents. Mr. Lavalette had represented them as being
very cold, very cold—(laughter)—the Duke de* Gramont
had said there ought to be more goodwill, and Count Bis-
marck had also felt to a certain extent aggrieved, but as
these complaints came from all alike, he felt that it was a
tribute to their fairness. He vas quite aware of the re-
sponsibility that fell upon the Government, and he was
sure that their lordships would agree with him that
without going into what it might be the duty of the Go-
vernment to do or not to do for the honour and safety of
the country, it would be their duty to preserve an attitude
of calm and dignified impartiality, so that when the time
arrived that the friendly offices of England might be so-
licited, that influence might be exerted with the greatest
and he hoped the most successful effect. (Cheers.)
The Earl of MALMESBURY strongly approved of the
course of the Government, and sympathised with the
noble earl on his finding himself involved in such a deli-
cate and difficult matter so soon after he had received the
seals of- office. He was sure the Government might fully
rely upon the support of Parliament. •
Earl RUSSELL expressed his approval of the course
taken by her Majesty's Government, and he regretted
that the well-meant efforts of the noble earl had not been
so successful as they deserved to be. He hoped there
would be no violation of the neutrality of Belgium, in
which case a grave case would arise as to the course of the
Government, and it would therefore be their duty to see
that the forces of the country were placed on an adequate
footing. We were now on the eve of the most formidable
war that the present generation had ever seen, and no one
could say what would be the eventual result. Under the
circumstances he hoped the Government would think it
their duty to raise to the greatest strength and efficiency
the naval and military forces of the country, and thus
stand forth armed sufficiently to meet any eventuality.
(Cheers.)

The subject then dropped.
CLERICAL DISABILITIES BILL.

This bill passed through committee, and was reported
with amendments.

INDIAN FINANCE.

The Duke of ARGYLL then made a statement with re-
spect to the finances of India. The original estimate, he
said, for the past year that was made in the month of
March was that there would be a small surplus of £52,000';
Instead of that it became evident to the Government of
India in September last that there were material errors
in the calculations, and that instead of there being a
small surplus, there was a deficit of a million and a half.
They at once took steps to provide 'for this contingency
by reducing expenditure and increasing taxation, and the
result of these steps was doubtful ; but he was glad to
say that last week Lord Mayo had telegraphed to him
that the deficit had wholly disappeared, and that there
was likely to be a surplus of from one to two hundred
thousand pounds. The annual revenue of India was in
round numbers 48i mil:ions. The interest of the debt
was 5i millions, and as long as the money market was
favourable they were enabled to pay it off and re-borrow
at 4-i per cent. The loss on the guaranteed rating
was 1 millions. The cost of collection was £7,399,000,
and there was little hope of reduction of that item. The
cost of the civil Government last year was £12,649,000,,
which would be reduced to £12,352,000. The coat of the
army was about 16i millions, an item which could not be re-
duced with safety ; and the surplus available for public
works, £2,778,000. The deficits, he said, were solely to
be attributed to the expenditure on public works, and
were it not for these sources of outlay there would be a
large surplus. The noble duke having expressed regret
at the necessity for fresh taxation, laid certain papers
connected with Indian finance on the table.

Their lordships adjourned at a quarter to ten,

THE FRANCO-ALGERI kX CABLE.

The ship William Cory arrived at Bona on Wednesday
night, having successfully accomplished the submersion of
the Franco. Algerian Cable. The shore end was laid yester-
day, in order to permit the immediate working of the
line.