The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-28 00:00:00

to volunteer into the second battalion of the 14th Regiment,
80 as to raise it to 1,400 men.
VOTE FOR FORTIFICATIONS.
Sir F. GOLDSMID asked the Secretary of State for
War whether he could, on or before Monday, lay upon the

table a statement specifying the works towards which the

- - -
$2,000,000 proposed to be voted for fortifications are to be
applied, and showing the probable cost of completing each
work. He wished to know why the house was called upon

to depart from its ordinary course of going into committee
of supply, and voting this money upon estimates. The
difficulty appeared to him to be greater, because this vote
of £2,000,000 applied to part only of the money that
was required, the rest being included in a lump sum,
which was intended to be voted in that committee as

soon as the necessary ways and means were provided. It
was important that this sum should only be voted after
a proper estimate, which ought to state the sum proposed
to be expended in the current year, and the total amount
required. It might be thought that the report of the De-
fences Commission stood in the place of an estimate; but
this was not so. The statements of Lord Palmerston and
Mr. S. Herbert showed that different works were contem-
plated.
The SPEAKER—The hon. member is really travelling
too much beyond the ordinary limits of these discussions ;

the matter must come before the house—a day is appointed

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for the discussion, and the hon. member will then have the
opportunity of expressing his views.
Sir F. GOLESMID said he would simply refer to the
statements Made on Monday night by the noble lord and the
right hon. gentleman.

The SPEAKER—I must remind the hon. gentleman
that he has no right to refer, on this occasion, to statements
made in another debate.

Sir F. GOLDSMID said he'would simply ask the ques-
tion of which he had given notice—whether the Secretary
for War could, on or before Monday, lay before the house

an estimate of the works for which the vote of two millions
was proposed, and the probable cost of completing such
works.
Mr. S. HERBERT said that if the vote for fortifications
had been proposed in committee of supply, the expenditure
must have been limited to the period 'ending on the 31st of
March next; but by taking the vote as proposed they would
have the advantage of carrying on the works during the
whole of next summer. He had already drawn up such a
statement as the hon. baronet asked for ; it had been laid on
the table of the fiouse ; and he believed that it would be in
the hands of members to-morrow.
THE LANDING PIER AT HOLYHEAD.

Mr. LEFROY called attention to the present state of the
landing pier at Holyhead, and asked if the temporary ar-
rangements for bringing the new packets safely alongside
t Holyhead, in all weather, to land the mails and passen-
gers, would be quite completed on the commencement of
the improved service, early in August. The hon. member
urged the importance of adequate accommodation being
provided for the new vessels, and called on the Government
to do all in their power to carry out the arrangement.
Sir E. GROGAN said that the Government had under-
taken to erect a suitable station for the new vessels, which
were now provided, and would be on the station on Wed-
nesday next.
Mr. LAING said that there was considerable difference
of opinion as to the erection of a stone pier ; but a tempo-
rary arrangement had been made, under the direction of
Mr. Hawkshaw, the Government engineer, and the direc-
tor* of the steamboat companies. The principal thing re-
quired was a wooden staging on the side of the pier, and
that he understood would be ready by the Ist of next
month. Some delay had occurred in the building of the
second boat, the Ulster, and by the time it was on the sta-
tion the staging would be ready. Steps had also been taken
for providing waiting rooms and a shelter from the wind .
The Government would do all in their power to afford the
best possible tempotary accommodation. As to the case of
Mr. Dunne, he had become insolvent some years ago, and
was mixed up with accommodation bill transactions, and
• that was the principal ground on which the board had dis-
missed him. The questions of the hon. member reminded
him of a string of interrogatories in Chancery. (Laughter.)
The matter had been considered two or three times already,
but the Government had no objection to look into it again.
SUSPICIOUS FOREIGNERS.

Mr. BENTINCK called the attention of the house to the
necessity, in the present aspect of affairs in Europe, for
conferring on Government more stringent powers for deal-
ing with foreigners of suspicious character resident in this
country. The necessity for dealing with this question had
much increased of late owing to the state of affairs abroad.
It could no longer be consid ared as a trifling matter, after
the opinions expressed by the highest authority in that house.
The Channel, it should be recollected, was now bridged over
by means of steam, and therefore the most important and
absorbing question for the people of this country at the pre-
sent moment was that of its defences. He believed the subject
to which he was calling attention was as directly connected
withthe defences of the country as ships, soldiers, and for-
tifications. There was a general feeling pervading the
country that a descent might be made on this country, and
that being the case, they were bound to consider the ques-
tion of the defences in all its bearings. If such an attempt
were made it might ke facilitated by the presence of so many
foreigners within the country, whilst their efforts to repel it
might be paralysed from the same cause. There was no use
in disguising the fact or mystifying themselves on this sub-
ject. It conk] not be doubted that these defences were made
with a view to protect themselves from an invasion byFrance.
He did not believe that such an invasion was contemplated
by France, nor did he believe, if attempted, that it would be
successful, but on the contrary that it would terminate in the
destruction of every man who came to invade these shores.
The noble lord, much to his credit, did not disguise the fact
that our defensive preparations wore set en foot with a view
to France. Let him therefore suppose that such an invasion
was made, it could not be denied that there were many thou-
sands of foreigners in the country, and especially about Lon-
don, who were not of the very best character—he might say
of the very worst character. Tivose individuals, for the sake
of some small pecuniary reward,. might destroy the electric
wires, or oven the railways themselves, which, in the pre-
sent state of the world, were vital to military operations.
He should like to know whether thc Home Secretary had
powers to meet such an emergency an 4 to protect the coun-
try from such machinations. Unless the right hon. gentle-
man told him that he had sufficient anal ample powers to
deal with such a state of things in a summary manner he
did not believe the country would be satisfied. If a bill was
necessary for this purpose it was downright insanity not to
bring in one and to pass it immediately. He hoped the right
hon. gentleman would be able to give an assuring answer
to this question.
Sir G. LEWIS said it was only by the indulgence of the
house that he could address it again on the motion for the
adjournment. He differed entirely from the hon. gentleman
on the construction which he put on the speech of his noble
friend.
Mr. OSBORNE rose to order. The right hon. gentleman
was out of order in addressing the house again. (Hear.) '
The SPEAKER said that the right hon. gentleman could
address the house again only by permission of the house.
Sir G. LEWIS said he had already intimated that, but if
the house did not object he would answer the question piii
to him. (Hear.) He was saying that he entirely differed
from the hon. gentleman as to the meaning and construc-
tion which he put upon the speech of his noble friend a few
nights ago. He did not understand his noble friend as re-
presenting that he entertained any fear of an imminent in-
vasion of the country from France or any other country.
(Hear.) On the contrary, his argument went to this—
The SPEAKER intimated that the right hon. gentleman
was oat of order in referring to the speech of the noble lord..
Sir G. LEWIS would then only say that in a statement
which might have been recently made to that house—
(laughter)—it was not the wish that any impression should
be created that the shores of this country were likely to be
invaded. What he understood was that in consequence of
political changes which had taken place since 1815 ; in
consequence of 'changes which had taken place in the art of
war ; in consequence of changes in the mode of communica-
tion, we were placed in a position of greater inferiority with
regard to our defences than we were some years ago. That
had no relation to any immediate danger. It was a perma-
next change, which it was proposed to meet by a permanent
system of defence. The question with regard to our de-
fence, as Pie understood, was whether we should expend a
greater sum—
Mr. OSBORNE—" Order, order." -
Sir G. LEWIS—Then he should proceed only to answer
the question of the hon. gentleman, although it was diffi-
cult to do so without referring to the groundwork on which
he based his question. He would only state that he did
not concur with the hon. gentleman in thinking that we
were exposed to any immediate danger such as his question
contemplated. (Hear, hear.) But if war happened to arise,
it would be competent for the house to entertain the ques-
tion of an Alien Act. In 1815 the Government was armed
with the powers of an Alien Act. Those powers were, he
believed, rarely exercised. His own opinion of the value of
an Alien Act, as a means of defence, was by no means an
exalted one. He did not regard very highly the possession
of snohpowers as were possessed by the French during the
revolution—the power of apprehending such persons who
Were described by Lord Macaulay, in one of his essays, as
beinge " persons suspected to be of a Suspicious character."
did not know how the Government could deal with
aliens of a suspicious character except by deportation from
this
veryl country or imprisonment in this country. Ho doubted
whether, without much stronger reasons than
the bon.uegleutlemau had advanced, the Government would
be disposed to ask, or the Parliament to grant, any increase
to the powers already vested in the hands of
the executive.
(Hear, hear.) Re should not follow the hon. gentleman
into the remarks he wade
a to foreigners residentinL
of industry,
sn the character of several
They were mostly persons
ngaged in the
pursuits u u
ass ttrri, and were not at all
likely to engage in such
projects ('
hon.gentleman had
sketched out. There were no
doubt
hut h
persons residing here
who might be called political refugees,
engage
in
any
couldh hardly
these
conceive any class less likely to
prac-
tices against the British Government. Under ythetil?
stances he should say the Government were alreadelarcunid.
with the power of dealing with, these aliens and fcLio-n:rs
of suspicious character, and it was not therefore the inten-
tion of the Government to propose any measure of this sort.
TERMINABLE ANNUITIES.
Mr. HUBBARD rose to call the attention of the house
to the impolicy of raising money by loans payable intermi-