The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-20 00:00:00

THE MARITIME LAWS.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said his attention
had been called to the subject of our maritime laws,
which had been referred to in the declaration made at
the recent conference held at Paris. It appeared to him
that the language used on that occasion left the ques-
tion in a .very vague and unsatisfactory state. It was
highly desirable twat the true meaning and intention of
the expression used should be clearly understood. With
a view of effeelng that object, it was his intention to lay
upon the table some resolutions upon the subject he in-
tended to propose. He thought it desirable that the purport
of these res dutions be el-arly understood before Lis noble
friend (Lord Colchester) brought forward his motion on
the subject, which stood on the paper for Thursday next.
DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second read-
ing of this bill, and shortly stated the marriags law as it
existed at a very remote period down to the present
time, as well as the practice of the Established Church
and the Church of Rime in respect to divorce. The
law upon the subject was in a very unsatisfactory state,
and it ought to be remedied. A commission sat a few
years ago, at which the Lord Chief Justice was 'at the
head, and it was on the recommendation of that com-
mittee that the present bill was foundei . In
the present bill be proposed that instead of
those various and costly proceedings which were
necessary under the present law, that a competent
court should at once he constituted, which would have
full jurisdiction to inquire into the matrimonial cases
brought before it, and if the charge of infidelity was
proved to grant a divorce. He proposed that
this oourt should supersede the necessity of
actions for crilm. con., which he always con-
sidered of a very revolting nature. He did not propose
to abolish such actions if the parties desired to have re-
course to them ; but thershould not be a necessary pre-
liminary proceeding to the obtaining of a divorce. He
further proposed that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord
Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, and another judge,
should-preside in the court, and that there should be an
appeal to the House of Lords, as in all other cases.
This court is not to try cases at the instance of the
wife, and the law 'would, therefore, remain precisely in
the same state as it was at present. It bad been sug-
gested that the bill should be extended to Ireland. To
such a course he should not object, provided it was the
opinion of a majority of the house. .
Lord LYNDHURST thought the present bill very
inefficient, and that it ought not to be passed in its pre-
sent state into a law. This measure would render the
position of the women much worse than it was under
the present law, and he therefore thought that the bill
should be referred to a select committee, He moved
I that the bill, and the law and practice of divorce, be re-

ferred to a select committee, \--nth directions to inquire
whether any, and what, alterations it would be proper
and just to make in the said bill, and to report thereon.
[LEFT BITTING.]

HOUSE OF 0051iVIONS—Cliiis Evening.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 5 minutev to 4 o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.

Mr. 'HUGHES, Q.C., took the oaths and his seat for
Longford, iu the room of Mr. R. M.. Fox, deceased.

BILLS READ A THIRD TIME.

Elgin and Los3iemouth Harbour Improvement ;
Knareshorough and Green Hammerton Road; and
Knaresborough and Pately Bridge Road.
The following bills were considered and ordered to be
read a third time on a future day :—Colne Valley and
Halstead Railway ; Cork Bridges, Waterworks, &c ;
Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding Junction Rail-
way ; Oxford, Wor,:ester, and Wolverhampton Railway
(Extension of Tune, &s.) ; Stockton and Middlesbrough
New Road and Bridge ; Yarmouth and Haddiscos
Railway ; Bournem,nth Improvement and Pier ; Shrews
bury and Heref()r I Railway.

THE BANDS IN THE PARKS.
Mr. CROSSLEY presented a petition from a place
near Halifax, Yorkshire, praying that the military bands
might play in the parks of the inttropolis on Sundays.

PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.
Sir J. OVAL NISLEY postponed the motion of which
he bad given notice for to-night relative to Parlia-
mentary representation and the extension of the fran-
chise till this day month.
OFFICERS' HORSES—CRIMEA.
Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the Under Secretary for
War whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Government, on the return of the British army from the
Crimea, to bring home at the public cost the regulation
number of chargers belonging to officers ; or, if the
horses are not brought home, whether they intend to
make up to all officers the amount of allowance to which
they would have been entitled if their horses had been
lost in her Majesty's service."
Mr. F. PEEL said that no despatches hat been re-
ceived from General ,Codringtoa explaining why he
issued the orders referred to. A telegraphic communi-
cation had been forwarded to the Crimea, stating that
officers' chargers were to be brought home free of cost,
and also those horses belonging to officers of the Turkish
Contingent.