The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-23 00:00:00

case which was now under the consideration of tie
house. He believed that the general practice of public
departments, when anonymous letters were i eceived,
was to take no notice of them ; but there rrig,ht be pat.
ticular cases in which it might be the duty of the maim- tt
rities to make some inquiries. An anonymous letter
roglit indicate facts so special as to show knowledge on
the part of the writer, and then it would be their duty
to take steps to ascertain whether they were right. It
was, he thought, impossible to lay down any general
rule with regard to anonymous letters. In this case, as
had been properly stated, the information was not ano-
nymous, having been received from two officers high in
her Majesty's service.
After a few words in reply from Mr. ROEBUCK,
the house divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it ....... -
Majority
The resolution was consequently negatived.
FLOGGING IN THE ARMY AND NAVY.
On the motion of Mr. W. WILLIAMS the following
returns were ordered :—Return of the number of per-
sons flogged in the army in each of the years 1854 and
1555 ; specifying the offence, the regiment, the place
of station, the time, the sentence, and the number of
lashes inflicted (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper
No. 20 f, of sessio❑ 1854). Return of the number of per-
sons flogged in the navy in the years 1353, 1854, and
1855 ; distinguishing each year, specifying the name of
the ship, the offence, the sentence, and the number of
lashes inflicted, and stating the highest and the lowest
number given in each class (in continuation of Parlia-
mentary Paper No. 552, of session 1853).
FOREIGN TROOPS.
Mr. MURROUGH said he had given notice of the
following resolution :—" That a Government which in
the time of peace retains foreign troops embodied in this
country is unworthy the confidence of this house." After
the statement of the noble lord at the head of the Go-
vernment esterday, he did not wish to press it, but he
might express a hope that these foreign troops would be
sent out of the country as soon as possible.
EAST INDIA COMPANY'S REVENUE
ACCOUNT.
The report was brought up and agreed to.
LEASES AND SALES OF SETTLED ESTATES

23
71
- -48

BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
COMMONS INCLOSURE (No. 2) BILL.
The Lords' amendments to this bill were eonsidered
and agreed
THE BISHOPS OF LONDON AND DURHAM
RETIREMENT BILL.
Lord PALMERSTON moved the second reading of
the Bishops of London and Durham Retirement Bill.
He explained the circumstances which led to the intro-
duction of the present measure. Government were con-
templating the introduction of a general measure for
the retirement of aged and infirm biE.hops, when he re-
ceived communications from the bishops of London and
Durham, intimating their willingness to retire. He had
at one time intended to couple with this measure a pro-
posal for the division of the diocese of London into two ;
but, on consultation with the Ecclesiastical Commission-
ers, he was induced to postpone this question for the
present, and to confine himself simply to the measure
for the retirement of the bishops. He emphatically re-
pudiated the charge of simony, and contended, on the
contrary, that the measure was honourable to the bishops
in question. He passed in review the various alterna-
tives which had been suggested, contending that none
of them were equal to the course he himself proposed,
and concluded by moving the second reading.
Mr. HENLEY rose to move that the debate be ad-
journed. It was unprecedented that a bill should be
read a second time which bad not yet been delivered to
members. He was quite aware that a copy of the bill
was to be had at the Votes-office, but its accuracy might
be judged of from the fact that it bore on the back of
the bill to have come down to them from the Commons.
He did not see why it could not be discussed to-morrow,
when no business of importance was before them.
Mr. GLADSTONE seconded the motion.
Lord PALMERSTON gave way, and the bill was
postponed till to-morrow.
The house then adjourned.