The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-20 00:00:00

BILL.

The Bislaop of OXFORD, on the report of the
amendments of this bill, moved an amendment to
the fifth clause—a power to the magistrates to send the
juvenile offenders to the schools without sending them
to prison. The prison might be full, and at all events
it seemed absurd to send the boys to the contamination
of a gaol before commencing the process of reformation.
The effect of the clause would be that the magistrates
might commute the sentence of imprisonment in a gaol
to confinement in the school.
Lort-R..-IVENSIVORTH said he had had no notice
of the amendment, which was one of great importance.
The main feature of the bill was, that it abstained from
introducing any new principle. And surely no new prin-
ciple should be introduced without any notice, e-pecially
one so important. The question whether magistrates
should have power to send boys at once to the schools,
without sentencing them to imprisonment, had been
much mooted.

The Bishop of OXFORD said he would move the
amendment on the third reading.
Lord RAVENSWORTH said the question was cer-
tainly one of great interest, and well worthy of conside-
ration.

The report was received.
EXCISE BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill, which
went through committee.

INSURANCE ON LIVES (ABATEMENT OF
INCOME TeX) BILL.
This bill went through committee,
THE DEFENDERS OF KA.RS.
On the order for reading the bill granting an annuity
to Sir W. Williams,
The Earl of MALINIESBURY rose and eaid--My
lords, I wish to say a few words upon a subject almost
identified with the bill before us, and which is about to be
passed unanimously and with such cordial approval.
wish to call the attention of the Government to what bee
occurred within the last week—toe death of one of those
gallant Brstish officers who assisted Gen. Williams in the
ever-memorable defence of Kars. Their names, my lords,
I am sure you will reneinber are Teesdale, L Lke, and
Thompson. (Hear, hear, hear.) My lords, tue last of
them—Captain Thompson.— hid distinguished himself
already in India, where he had served nearly ten
years, having also been wounded. lie repaired to Asia
Minor, and assisted most materially in the defence of
Kars, especially in the great victory of 29th September,
when his gallant conduct was especially de,cribed by
General Williams. After his captivity, that gallant
officer returned with Colonel Lake to this country, ex-
pecting, no doubt, to reap here all the honours you were.
ready so liberally to bestow urn hilne and to receive in
the bosom of his family all those proud coegretulations
which they were prepared to heap upon bun. But it
did not please the Almighty that he hold he thus
rewarded. Within four days of his arrival in London
it pleased the Almighty that he should die in Ilia
mother's arms. My l)rde, Ido not think that I ever
heard of any more affecting misfortune than that sus-
tained by Mrs. Thompson. I believe she would, if she
bad a choice, almost have preferred to have heard of her
son having fallen on the field of battle than to have
him expire in her arms at the moment when the
consolation of her maternal pride and affection .i,14
about to be realised on his return. But, my lords, it
was not merely to express a sympathy in the fate of this
gallant officer that I called your attention to the case. I
am not sure that even a premature death is for his sake
to be regretted so much when it has closed a life of honour.
But I have heard, my lords, with great concern that his
mother is not in possession of a provision such as to se-
cure her those comforts which we should ad desire that
she should enjoy; and, if your lordships would excuse
my reading a letter I have received from a friend of the
family, it will explain what is her condition :
"I feel convinced, knowing the straitened circumstances
of his widowed mother, that at least one-fourth of her in-
come will he swallowed up in meeting the charges attend-
ant upon the illness and funeral of her son. I can assure
your lordship that so fixed and limited is her means—so
portioned out to meet the expenses of her large
that it is with the utmost difficulty funds can be provided.
to enable her to go to the sea-side immediately after the
funeral, the physicians representing that they will not. an-
swer for her life if she does not have change of scene."
My lords, I am not authorised to make any appeal to
public charity ; I do not know if it would be accspted ;
but I thought it not improper to let these circumstances
be known. (Hear.)
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he had no know-
ledge of the facts so feelingly stated by his noble friend,
and was not prepared to give any a-4stfrance upon the
subject. At the same time he should be sorry that suce
a statement should be meet) in terms so feeling-, and eo
calculated to make a deep impression up .n their iord-
ship, without its meeting setne iminediats relemse.
could only say that every one mu•-t feel the livtliest in- 1
terest in the misfortunes of this lady—(heap)—elot every
one must feel that not only wa ju -dee to be done to Sr:
W. Williams, who had the merit of foundirn a mill ary
:mewl under the peculiar circumstaeces in which he N. Ati
placed—(bear)—but that all.veto had been his assistants
—as all had been eau illy distineuishe t for their gallan-
try—were all equ thy entitled to the attention aed re-
spect
of the public, and (so far as it wes possible) the
consideration of the Government. (Near) And he
could assure their lord-hips that the facts so feelingly
stated to them to-night by the noble earl would, whea
brought before the proper authorities, receive the ut-
most consideration. (Hear.)
The bill then passed.
CAMP AT ALDERSHOT.
Earl FORTESCUE asked a questien relative to an
invention of Cept. Grant for use in the field, and which he
understood had be:)., tried et the camp at Al icrshot,
Lord PANMURE stated that the invention was one
of considerable value to the army, and ha .l been found
suited, not only for the camp Aldershot, bat fur use
in the field.
THE DORCHESTER AND SOUTH-WESTERN
RAILWAY,
The Earl of MALMESBURY said it was more than
a month since he had called attention to the agree-
ment between Parliament and the Dorchester and
South-Western Railway Company to double their lime
when their receipts for three years should have amounted 1
to 196,0001. He had sent to, the Bsard of Trade a me-
morial on the subject, with accounts showing that the
receipts jfor three past years had reached that amount.
The Board of Trade, on reference to the company, had,
after a very long delay, received other accounts showier
es receipt than that amount by the small sum of 90/:
(A. laugh.) That was indeed a hairbreadth—(hear)—
and as he had the accounts for 1853 4-ssign Itee
secretary, which showed for three years a total receipt
exceeding the required amount
by upwards of 2,00 C/ ,
be wished to ask. the President of the Board of Trade
whether he was aware on what Principle the company
made up their accounts, and whether he coud el
the disparity. He had to observe that it was of very
great consequence to the public that these companies
should be made to fulfil their engegeninwts
and the onl
means of compelling them to do so was by CO appeal J.)
Parliament. The company in question had already most
signally broken its faith with Parliament with respect
to a promise to construct a line from Dorcheeter to
Weymouth. That the company was well able to per•
form the promise to which lie bad referred was vain
from this, that they were engaged in making a single
line from Yeovil to Exeter, a distance of 120 mil e, far
too great to be travelled upon a single line, which wan
far from safe.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said the company
had claimed a right to make certain deductions which
reduced the net receipts for the three years a little be'e v
the stipulated amount. They hats, however, ietonated
that they iatended to construct a double line fir t4,,,rity
miles, at certain parts of the line ; but they hoped thee
should not be compelled to complete the d,Jubie Ina, until
a year after the opening of the Wilts line, as the e r. I
cheater and Southampton line was not a good one. Aod I
he thought that not unreasonable.
Lord WYNFORD said the public had been put to
great inconvenience by the conduct of this company ;
and he believed they had never performed any of their
engagements except upon compulsion.
The Earl of MALMESBURv said he hoped the pro
wise to.constract the double line for 20 miles was bona,
fife, and not a mere feeler. But Ere could not admit
that the reasere wee
greed ;Mr not centinuino the double
line along the whole of the line was valid—viz., that the '
line was a bad one. On the contrary, the Duke of
Wellington had been of opinion that the line was one of
the most useful for the conveyance of troops, and had .