The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-16 00:00:00

MERCANTILE MARINE BILL.

In reply to a question from Mr. SANDARS,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that a Bill to amend
certain parts of the Mercantile Marine Act of last session
had been prepared, and would be introdsced as soon as
possible.

SCOTCH JUDGES.
Mr. BRIGHT wished to know whether the Noble
Lord at the head of her Majesty's Government intended
to fill up the vacancy which had just occurred in the
Scotch judical bench, or whether he mearft to follow up
the recommendation of the Committee on official salaries,
which was, that the number of Scotch judges should be
diminished ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that when he was Home
Secretary he had been instrumental in the appointment
of a Committee to inquire into this subject, which had
come to the decision that it was not expedient to reduce
the number of Scotch judges; the Committee of last
year
certainly came to a different conclusion; but he
believed, from inquiries that had been since made, that
the weight of evidence inclined to the opinion that a re-
duction could not be judiciously made.
CASE OF MR. WARD AT THE CARACCAS.
In reply to a question from Mr. DISRAELI,
Lord PALMERSTON said that the case of Mr.
Ward, the British merchant who had been ill-treated by
the Venezuelan Government, was under the considera-
tion of her Majesty's Government, and he could assure
the House that he should look into the case with the
fullest desire to do justice between Mr. Ward and the
Venezuelan Government, and that whatever was thought
to be fairly and justly due would be expected to be paid
by the Venezuelan Government.
HUNGARIAN REFUGEES.
Mr. URQUHART rose to put a question to the Noble
Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs respecting the
Hungarian refugees who had arrived in this country—
whether their liberty of departure from Turkey had been
accompanied by the condition of their non-return to that
country, and whether the British Government had been
a party to the imposition of that condition?
Lord PALMERSTON said he had no positive know-
ledge of the conditions which had been attached
to the permission granted to the refugees to leave
Turkey; but he bad reason to believe that permission
bad certainly been granted on the understanding that
the refugees would not return to Turkey. As far as
the Polish refugees were concerned, it was quite clear
that that condition was in perfect conformity with the
treaties existing between Turkey and Russia, and indeed
with regard to the whole of them it was evident that
Turkey would not be justified in allowing
herself to be made into a place from which
attacks could be made by refugees on her ad-
joining neighbours. The British Government had ;not
been consulted on the subject of these conditions, but the
advice always given, from the time of the very first de-
mand made on Turkey by Russia for the delivering up
of the refugees, was that she should cut short all the
embarrassing questions arising out of the interpretation
of treaties by sending them away from her dominions.
UNIVERSITY COMMISSION.
Mr. JOHN STUART asked Lord John Russell
whether it was the intention of the Government
to recommend that proceedings under the University
Commission be suspended until the decision by the
proper tribunal be pronounced on the petition which had
been presented to her Majesty in Council by the Uni-
versity of Oxford, complaining of the illegality of the
Commission, and praying that it might be recalled?
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was not the intention of
the Government to suspend the inquiry until the lega-
lity of the commission was determined.
REMOVAL OF SMITHFIELD MARKET BILL.
Sir G. GREY intimated that in consequence of the
absence of Sir James Duke, he should postpone this
Bill, which was fixed for to-morrow, until twelve on
Thursday.

DISTRESS IN THE HIGHLANDS.
In reply to Mr. COWAN,
Sir G. GREY said the Government were not yet in
receipt of the report respecting the distress that existed
in the Isle of Skye and the Western Islands of Scotland.
The report required a very great deal of preparation,
but he expected that it would be shortly ready to be laid
before the House.

L.'
On the motion forCUSTOMS the secondßreading of the Customs'
Bill,