The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-11 00:00:00

CHARITIES BILL.

This bill passed through committee.
CHURCH BUILDING COMMISSIONS BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Lord PORTMAN expressed his satisfaction that one
of these commissions was coming to an end. He should,
next year, introduce a bill to consolidate the whole of
the laws on the subject.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that they were at
that moment before the Statute Law Commission, with
a view to their consolidation.
DULWICH COLLEGE BILL.
This hill pa,,sed through committee.

BISROPRICS OF LOND ,N AND DURHAM.
The LORD CHANCELLOR asked leave to introduce
a bill, the object cf which was, he said, to enable two
distinguished members of the right rev, bench, whose
health rendered it unlikely that they could continue to
perform their episcopal duties, to retire, due provision
being. made fur suitable retiring allowances. He alluded
to the Bish.ps of London and Durham, who ha,i both
signified their assent to such a measure, and therefore he
asked leave to have the bill read a first time, proposing
to fix the second reading for to-morrow (this ray).
Lard REDESUALE said that this was a question
that required careful consideration. A general measure
embodying the principle would be very desirable, but the
policy of legislating for two sees only was in his opinion
very questionable. They would by this bill establish a
precedent,,so that every time a bishop wished to retire,
it would require a special act for the purpose. In his
opinion this was a subject for general not special legisla-
tion, and should have been brought forward at au earlier
period of the session.

-Tile Earl of HARROWBY said that this would not
int:rfere, with a general bill, and it was called fur by an
immediate and pressing necessity.
Lord CAMPBELL said he trusted that before long
the prelates would be put in the same position as the
judges of the land—that was to say, would have the
privilege of retiring on a suitable allowance when no
longer able to perform episcopal duties, To lay down a
.general rule on the subject would require a great deal of
consideration, and as a friend of the Church he should
rejoice to see such a measure brought forward ; but
there was an urgency in the present case, and the man-
ner in which the two prelates had come forward and re-
quested permission to retire must increase the estima-
tion in which they had before been held by the whole
community. He did not think that because there was
not time for a general measure they should be obstructed
in so praiseworthy a proceeding, and therefore he trusted
that the present bill would be adopted by the house.
Lord RED ESDALE thought that time should be
given for considera,ion before the second reading.

- Lord DEN \IAN supported the bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR hoped that the house
would not consent to postpone the second reading, as
upon that stage there would be ample opportunity for
discussion. There were pecuiar facilities in this case,
as the Bishops of London and Durham could be provided
with retiring pensions without trenching on any fund.
Lord DUNGANNON deprecated the precedent, and
supported the motion for de'ay.

The E.rl of PO WIS would prefer having the second
reading taken on Nlonday.
Lord REDESDALE said he should certainly divide
the house, if it was proposed to take the second reading
on the following day. There were many noble lords
who took an interest in the question who might be absent
if the second reading were taken without sufficient notice.
After some further conversation the bill was read a
first time, and the second reading fixed for Monday next.

CONSOLIDATION OF THE LAW.
The LORD CHANCELLOR announced that he
should speedily lay on the table nine bills for the consoli-
dation of the criminal statutes, which bad been prepared
by L,,rd Wensleydale, Lord Chief Justice Jervis, Mr.
Grey, and Mr. Bellenden Ker.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—CrEsTERDAy.)
JUDICIAL TRIBUNALS OF INDIA.

Sir E. PERRY wished to ask the President of the
Thard of Control whether he contemillated bringing in a
bill to provide a judicial tribunal in andia,with appeal
investigation
and the Privy Council in England, for the
and decision of such claims on the private rights of the
native princes and grantees of Government as were now
decided by the executive government without hearing
and in the absence of the parties?
Mr. V. SMITH said he had no intention of bringing
in such a bill, as he did not see how any satisfactory
measure could be introduced on this question.
NAVIGATION OF THE DANUBE.
Col. DUNNE asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether by the treaty of Paris, which provides for the
opening of the navigation of the Danube,
any persons
other than Austrian subjects would be allowed to pos-
sess steamers and navigate that river above the frontiers
of Austria on the same terms as subjects of that empire?
Lord PALMERSTON replied—By the Treaty of
Paris the navigation of the Danube is to remain liable to
the provision of the treaty of 1815 applicable to rivers
which in their navigable course separate or traverse dif-
ferent states. The provision of that treaty is that such
rivers in their navigable course are to be free for naviga-
tion to the commerce of all nations, subject only to such
regulations of police and other matters as a commission
composed of the representatives of the bordering states
may devise, and I apprehend it enables the vessels of
any country to enter the Danube at its mouth in the
Black Sea, and to ascend the river, as far as it is navi•
gable in its course, subject always to such regulations
as those contemplated by the treaty. I apprehend, how-
ever, the question of the hon. and gallant member applies
more particularly to a certain monopoly given to an Aus-
trian by a former arrangement with Austria ; and if so,
I may say that, in my opinion, that arrangement can-
not stand against the stipulations of the treaty itself.
The Austrian Government cannot upon its own autho-
rity make arrangements at variance with the spirit of
the treaty, so as to exclude from the navigation of part
of the Danube ships of other countries.
CURRENCY OF INDIA..

Mr. CHEETHAM asked the President of the Board
of Control if his attention had been called to the great
inconvenience at present sustained by the co!nrnercal
class's iu India fr m the scarcity of a metallic specie in
that country ; and whether it was the intention of the
Indian Government to take any measures to remedy the
same by the creation of a gold coinage as a legal tender,
in addition to the silver coinage now current there ? And
.if be was able to lay upon the table of the house a report
of the extent of railway communication now iu operation
and in course of construction in India ?

Mr. V. SMITH said no such complaint had been
made since he had been at the Board of Control ; but the
question of extending gold coinage to India was well wor-
thy of consideration, and had not been lost sight of.
(Hear.) With regard to the second question, there was no
such -detailed report in the possession of the Board of
Control, but some correspondence had taken place upon
the subject, and if it were moved for there would be no
object o❑ to produce it.
SITE OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY.
Mr. VERNON said since her Majesty had undertaken
to issue a royal commission to inquire into the site of the
National Gallery, he wished to put a question upon the
~oject to the noble lord at the head of the Government.
me committee which sat in 181,3 on the same subject
elt itself impeded from recommending any sites which
it really considered to be the best from a delicacy with
egar(l to the nature of the tenure of those sites. Now
he did not wisl' ; trouble the noble lord to state speci-