The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-17 00:00:00

NICE AND SAVOY.
__ _

Earl GRANVILLE, in reply to the Marquis Marquis of Nor-
manby, said he did not see that ' any advantage would
arise from the reopening of the subject. He might state
that negotiations concerning it were still pending. With
respect to whether the Government had received any further
communication from France on the subject, he had to in
form them that the Government had received a communi-
cation from France stating (as we understood) that there
never had been any intention on the part of that country to
annex Savoy to the French dominions without the consent
of the people of the duchy.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(Tars EVENING.)
Tho SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented against the abolition of
church rates; from persons engaged in the grocery trade
against the 12th clause of the commercial treaty; against
the 3d clause ; from the inhabitants of Norwich in favour
of the treaty, as being calculated to extend the commerce of
this country and promote permanent peace between France
and England ; against the Highways Bill ; against other
clauses; and in favour of the adoption of the treaty with
as little delay as possible

WEYMOUTH ELECTION.
The SPEAKER announced that Mr. Campbell had
withdrawn his petition against the return of the sitting
member for Weymouth.

MR. SPOONER.
On the motion of Mr. NE WDEGAT E, leave of absence
for a month was given to Mr. Spooner, on the ground of
domestic affliction.

THE REVENUE.
Mr. DUNCAN gave notice that, on the motion for going
into committee on the Customs Duties, he would move that
it is xot expedient at present to reduce the revenue of the
country by doing away with the ordinary sources of in-
come.

COMMITTALS (CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT).
Mr. Alderman CUBITT moved an address for a return
of the total number of prisoners committed for trial at the
Central Criminal Court in each year of the last seven
years; showing how many were convicted, how many
acquitted, and in how many cases the bills were ignored by
the Grand Jury ; distinguishing in all those respects the
number of cases from the Justice-rooms of the City.—
Ordered.

RIFLE VOLUNTEERR.
Mr. WAY asked the Secretary of State for War whether
her Majesty's Gevernment proposed to make provision in
the Army Estimates for supplying ammunition to the dif-
ferent corps of rifle volunteers ; and whether her Majesty's
Government will place the rifle volunteers on the same
footing in respect of ammunition as the volunteer artil-
lery ?
Mr. LAING said that he must postpone a reply to the
question.

DUTY ON HOPS.
Mr. MILDMAY asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether it was his intention to enfore the payment of the
duty on all home-grown hops on the Ist day of January,
or whether he would allow home growers, by availing them-
selves of the proposed system of inland bonding, to share in
the advantage enjoyed by the importers of foreign hops, of
not paying the duty until the hops were sold for consump-
tion ?

Mr. LAING said that the proposed fiscal arrangement
would not take effect, so far as hops were concerned, until
the Ist January, 1861. The plan of inland bonding would
not be likely to extend to P.ll article such as hops.
THE MILITIA.
Major PARKER asked the Secretary of State for War
if he was prepared to give an assurance that regiments of
milia would not, unless the exigencies of the State require
it, be called out for training during those periods of the year
when the services of the men were most needed for agricul •
tural purposes ?
Mr. S. HERBERT said that it was not intended, as far
as it was possible to avoid it, to interfere with the agricul-
tural purposes of the militia. The harvest took place at
different times in various parts of the country, and he in-
tended to communicate with the lord-lieutenants of the
respective counties in order to make such arrangements as
would not be productive of inconvenience to the class in
question.
BROKERS' CONTRACT NOTES.
Mr. Alderman SALOAIONS asked the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, if the proposed penny stamp on brokers'
notes would apply to all transactions in the public funds,
and would therefore legalise all such transactions ?
Mr. LAING said ho supposed the hon. member alluded
to time-bargains, and it was not intended by Government
to apply the penny stamp to that description of contracts.
FORTIFYING PLYMOUTH AND DEVONPORT.
Mr. PALK asked the Secretary of State for War whe-
ther the expenses-of fortifying Plymouth were included in
the estimates that had been laid upon the table ?
Mr. S. HERBERT said he had not time to develops
his plans on the subject, but he had taken the necessary
amount in the army estimates to meet the exigencies that
might arise for the proper defence of the country.
HUNGARY.
Mr. R. LONG asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs if any special information on the state of Hungary
had recently been received by the Government; and, if so,
whether there was any objection to that information being
communicated to the house ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said it would be inconvenient to lay
on the table of the house the communications received by
Government on the subject in question.
DUTY ON HOPS.
Mr. DODSON asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether the resolution reducing the Excise duty upon hops
to 14s. a cwt. would apply to the duty upon the crop of
1859, payable in May and November next ; and, if not, from
what date it was intended that the corresponding resolution
reducing the Customs duty on foreign hops should take
effect?

Mr. LAING repeated the answer he had already given
in reply to a question on the same subject.
BANKRUPTCY BILL.

Mr. COLLIER, asked the Attorney-General when he
intended to introduce the Bankruptcy Bill P
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he intended to in-
troduce the bill this session.
EXCHEQUER BONDS.
Mr. DISRAELI asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
for what period he proposed to postpone the payment ofthe
£1,000,000 Exchequer Bonds.
Mr. LAING said that the last procedure in reference to
the subject had been laid down by the right hon. gentleman
himself when Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1858, who
renewed these bonds for three and a half and four years.
Perhaps a similar power would be asked.

THE TREATY WITH FRANCE.
On the motion of the adjournment of the house at its
rising till Monday,
Mr. BENTINCK asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether any understanding had been come to between the
Governments of France and this country, in the event of
the commercial treaty not being sanctioned by Parlia-
ment ?

Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government
proceeded on the assumption that the treaty would receive
the approval of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) They had
been sanguine in the estimate they had formed of the
benefits that would result from the adoption of
that treaty, both with reference to the ex-
tension of the commerce of this country, and ce-
menting in closer bonds the two countries. The Govern-
ment confided too much in the good feeling and good
sense of the house and the country—(hear, hear, hear)
—to suppose that the treaty would not be approved,
notwithstanding the opinion of certain hon. members, and
of certain sections of politicians in the country. Not con-
templating the rejection of the treaty no understanding
had been entered into with France in regard to that
event. He repeated that G )vernment were of
opinion that the treaty would be favourably received by
the house and country. (Hear, hear.) He would take that
opportunity of stating that it was intended to proceed with
the discussion of the treaty on Monday next, and it was
proposed to go on with the discussion from day to day
until it was concluded, and the subject had been finally