The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-27 00:00:00

committee that the half of all vacancies to be filled up in
the ranks of the European commissioned officers of her Ma-
jesty's line or local troops serving in India be allotted to
the sons or orphans of officers,,line or local, or the sons or
orphans of her Majesty's civil service in India, who have
served in India, and who shall have passed the prescribed
examination, and that, the remaining vacancies be filled up
by open competition, the successful competitors to pass
through one of the royal military colleges.
Mr. S. HERBERT, in reply, urged that the proposal
would extend the system of giving commissions in a man-
ner out of all proportion to the advantages to the service
which would be derived from it. He showed that since the

last war the allotment of commissions without purchase had
increased to a very large amount.
After some remarks from Colonel Svxns,
Mr. M. MILNES called attention to the protest of Mr.
Willoughby, one of the members of the Indian Council,

against the proposed plan of the Government.

Sir DE L. EVANS supported the motion, and pointed
out that the Secretary for War had for the first time intro-
duced the word "purchase" in connexion with the Indian
army.

Sir E. COLEBROOKE thought the plan of the hon.
gentleman would interfere with the existing claims of
officers in the Indian army, and would deprive them of the
provision made for them in the act of 1858. Still, though
there were objections to it, yet on the whole if the rights of
these officers were not interfered with he should support
the motion.

Sir C. WOOD assured his hon. friend who had just sat
down that no intention whatever existed of depriving the
officers to whom he alluded of any rights they possessed
under the bill of 1858. Those claims were not only just,
but secured to them by Act of Parliament.
The house then divided, when the numbers were—
For the motion
Against it
Majority —sB
Sir J. ELPHINSTONE moved that it be an instruction
to the committee that they have power to make provision
for the future regulation, discipline, and patronage of the
European forces serving in India. He argued in favour of
the maintenance of a local European force in India, quot-
ing statistics to show the advantages of an acclimatised
force, locally officered, and adducing the opinions of a num-
ber of officers and gentlemen of great experience of Indian
affairs. He pointed out that the existing local army, of
which 26,000 still remained, were re -enlisted since the
mutiny, en the terms that they were to be a purely local
force, and not liable to serve anywhere but in India ; and
the proposed amalgamation would violate that engagement,
and probably have the same effect on the men as the at-
tempt at transferring them from the Company's to the
Queen's service had produced amongst them.
Sir DE L. EVANS and Sir M. FARQUHAR having ad-
dressed the house at great length,
Mr. ROEBUCK moved: the adjournment of the debate.
Lord PALMERSTON, referring to the length at which
the discussion had been carried on, expressed his readiness
to sit till Christmas in order to pass this bill.
Mr. HORSMAN assured the noble lord that he would
not be able to joke away the opposition to the bill. He
wished to know what interest was involved in this measure,
when all other measures of importance had been thrown
over by a Government which, contrary to all precedent, had
retained their places. He did not doubt that the Govern-
ment would find that they could not now over-ride opposi-
tion as they had done in February last, and he had no
doubt that this measure would eventually be abandoned.
Mr. M. MILNES expressed his regret at being obliged
to oppose the Government, but he felt bound to resist this
dangerous and unsatisfactory measure.
Mr. J. B. SMITH said that he had come to the consi-
deration of this question with a prejudice against anything
which had been connected the East India Company, but the
arguments he had heard had changed his opinion, and he
believed that if the gentlemen who had formed the Govern-
ment majority on previous stages of the bill would read the
papers that majority would fall away. He suggested the
postponement of the measure till next year.
After a few words from Col. SYKEs and Mr. NEWDEGATE,
The debate was then adjourned to this day.
EAST INDIA STOCK TRANSFER BILL.

Sir C. WOOD moved the second reading of this bill, re-
serving the consideration of its details until the house went
into committee.
Mr. VANSITTART said that unless the 20th clause,
with reference to a large portion of the stock of the com-
pany, was omitted, he should oppose the second reading.
Sir C. WOOD said the 20th clause would be omitted.
After a few words from Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, the bill
was read a second time.
SENIOR MEMBER OF COUNCIL (INDIA) BILL.
Sir. C. WOOD, in moving the second reading of this
bill, said the object of it was to empower the senior member
of Council to preside in the absence of the Governor-Gene-
ral, in regular order of precedence.
The bill was then read a second time.
SUPERANNUATION ACT (1859) BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION BILL.
This bill was also read a second time.
THEATRES AND F ÜBLIC-HOUSES BILL.

On the motion of Sir G. C. LEWIS, the order for the
house to resolve itself into committee on this bill was dis-
charged.
The Spirits Bill and Spirits Duties Bill were postponed
to Monday.

EXCISE DUTIES BILL.
The house went into committee pro forr.a on this bi:
CLEARANCES INWARD AND LIEN FOR
FREIGHT BILL.