The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-27 00:00:00

THE ARMY ESTIMATES

TheEarlof DERBY said he wished to ask the noble duke
whether there was any truth in the report aukthe Gum:,
ment intended to withdraw the Army Estimates at pres
before Parliament, with a view of increasing them F
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said the rumour referred
to by the noble earl (the Earl of Derby) was true to
.11
certain extent. It was the intention of the Go-
dernment to withdraw the present Army Estimates,
not with a view of increasing them, but merely to reprint
them. The estimates had been formed upon the suposition
that only a certain number of troops would return from In-
dia, but a larger number having returned it became neces-
sary to make other arrangements. It was to make-certain
corrections, and not to make any increase, that rendered it
necessary to withdraw the estimates, to make provision to
meet the altered corrections.
PRIVATE BUSINESS. 1

The Leicester Gas Bill was read a second time

The following bills were read a third time andpassed :
Matlock Water, East Indian Coal Company, and Silver-
dale and Newcastle Railway.
CHARITABLE USES BILL.

Lord CRAN WORTH said, owing to domestic bereave-
ment, the Lord Chancellor was prevented being present
that evening. Under such circumstances, therefore, he
should withdraw his motion with reference to this bill until
Monday, the 23d of April.
lIARBOURS OF REFUGE.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE, in moving for re-
turns of the sums expended by. Government since 1810, for
the construction of harbours of refuge, piers, breakwaters,
artificial islands, or other contrivances for the protection
of shipping, apologised for havingtaken up the subject, but
his excuse was, that every professional man who had taken
it up had more or less failed. He had at first given notice
for a return of the number of shipwrecks on the coast, but
thaMnformation had since been supplied in another form,
and a more melancholy paper had never been issued. It
might truly be Said, that the British coast was the disgrace
of the British nation and the grave of the British seaman.
It appeared, that the average loss of property by shipwreck
amounted to £1,500,000 a year, while the average loss of
life for the last six years was 783. But in 1854 no fewer
than 1,849 persons were drowned—while last year there
were 1,463 shipwrecks, with 10,533 persons on board of
them. Of these 1,645 were drowned, while at least 1,000
more were in peril of their lives. Notwithstanding what
ought to be the increased science and skill of British seamen
the loss of life and property continued to be very large.
The question was, had there been sufficient efforts to afford
to our marine that shelter which our coasts ought to afford.
It appeared to him all had not been done which ought to
have been done. There had been no improvements in the
system of building piers and harbours for a thousand years.
There were various spots on the coasts upon which addi-
tional shelter might be provided for shipping, and there
was a variety of patents ani inventions which by repeated
experiments had been proved to be valuable as means of
saving life. The floating breakwater was recommended
by the highest authority, but the Admiralty had afforded
neither countenance or aid to that or other inven-
tions, which he confidently asserted were able to save
hundreds of lives. The same principle which was ap-
plicable to floating breakwaters was applicable to float-
ing batteries. If there was a possibility of afford-
ing better protection to our maritime population it
ought to be done. The present state of many places was in
respect of efficiency for the purposes intended a disgrace to
the country. The noble marquis proceeded to remark upon
the recommendation of the Harbour of .Refuge Commis-
sioners, and upon the details of some of the structures now
in course of erection. Several of these erections were not
correct in principle or applicable for the purposes intended.
The noble marquis entered into scientific details on the sub-
ject-tergroirthe-rtrifrons torreerpooreeyno-regnetiod expense
which had been incurred in consequence of no sufficient ex-
periments having been undertaken before the works were
commenced. The noble marquis concluded by moving for
a return of all public moneys granted by Parliament, or
lent or apportioned in aid of other contributions, towards
the construction or improvement of solid stone piers or
breakwaters (not including works of fortification) at any
port or on any of the shores of the United Kingdom, since
the year 1810 ; specifying the sums granted and expended in
each case, and the estimated cost of each such work accord-
ing to the first demand and alleged expectation, and stating
how much has been repaid by harbour dues or otherwise in
each case of loan ; and also a return of any sums granted or
lent for experiments upon floating piers, breakwaters or sea
barriers, or artificial
islands, or other inventions for the pro-
tection of shipping or the facility of traffic, during the same
time.

The Duke of SOMERSET said that his objection to this
motion was, that so much time and labour would be neces-
sary in their preparation that they could not be ready be-
fore the end of the session, so that they would be useless.
Besides, no sufficient means now existed of ascertaining all
the payments and repayments that had been made since
1810 in reference to piers and harbours. The Exchequer
Loan Commissioners had Lnly existed since 1817, and all
the loans they had advanced in this country had been re-
paid. That was not the case as regarded Ireland; but still
some portion had been repaid. He would be most happy
in giving him the first return if he amended it in some de-
gree, but-the secend could not be granted.
The Earl of HARD WI C E called attention to the great
losses which recently took Place at sea, and the necessity, of
having breakwaters and harbours of refuge. He alluded
to the Plymouth Breakwater—one of the greatest of modern
works—and wherever such a work was constructed, the
public money would be well laid out; but other descrip-
tions of harbours, constructed by engineers putting stone
upon atone, it was impossible they could stand for any
length of time. Another plan proposed was floating break-
waiters ; but the risk to be run was that its cables might
break, and the breakwater being driven on the ships which
may take shelter behind it, they would all perish together.
The noble marquis then withdrew his motion for the pur-
pose of amending it, and the conversation dropped.
MANHOOD SUFFRAGE AND VOTE BY BALLOT.
Lord TEYNHAM presented 30 petitions from Durham
and other places in favour of manhood suffrage and vote by
ballot, and gave notice that if the Government did not
do so, he would, when the second reading of the Sunday
Trading Bill was brought forward, move that it be read a
second time that day six months.
The Mutiny Bill and the Marine Mutiny Bill passed
through committee.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston and Eastern Junction
Railway and Canal Company Bourton-on-the-Water
Railway; Buckley aud Connah's Quay (Flintshire) Railway;
Hinckley and Leicester Railway, London and North-
Western Railway (No. 2), Manchester and Buxton Road,
Manchester Corporation Water, Manchester Improvement,
Scottish Drainame and Improvement Company, and Sir-
howy Tramroad.
NESS AND BEAULY FISHERIES BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. C. BRUCE moved as an amendment that it be read
a third time that day six months. He contended that the
bill would be an unjustifiable infringement of the chartered
rights of private individuals.
After a protracted discussion the house divided, and the
numbers were—

For the third reading .......... 148
Against it

Majority --55
The bill was accordingly read a third time and passed.
The following bills were considered and ordered for third
reading : Cannock Chase Railway • Chesterfield and
Worksop Road ; Faringdon Railway; Leicester Cemetery ;
London and Blackwall Railway ; London, Brighton, and
South Coast Railway (Croydon to Balham Hill) ; Lower
King's Ferry Road ; North Staffordshire Railway ; Shot.-
field Water; and Tenbury and Bewdley Railway.
The following bills were read a second time :—Grunty
Fen Drainage and Improvement, Limerick and Ennis Rail-
way, North Kent Water, Railway Clearing-house (Ireland) ;
and Spalding Water.

EAST INDIA CURRENCY.
Mr. HANKEY moved for a copy of all correspondence
relating to the establishment of a paper currency in India ;
and of a minute from the Right Hon. James Wilson, re-
specting a gold or double standard.—Ordered.

ARMY, &c.

Gen. PEEL moved for returns of British regimental
establishments for 1860-61, of all ranks ; of effectives, Ist
day of April, 1860, of all ranks ; of Indian establishment
for 1860-61; of effectives, Ist day of April, 1860 ; of total
number of embodied militia, Ist April, 1860, of all ranks,
and of any transfers that may have been made, or of which
notice has been:given, from Indian establishment to British,
not shown in estimates.

Mr. S. HERBERT said that the forces in the British ser-
vice were placed in a more effective position than it was
expected to be some time back. As the financial year
would expire on Saturday next, he hoped the house
would vote him the amount he would require on
account on Wednesday next, and he promised that
when the estimates were reprinted he would afford hon.
members an opportunity of discussing the subject referred
to in the motion of the hon. and gallant member. He had
no objection to the returns, with the exception of the last
paragraph.
After a few words from Gen. PEEL and Mr. DISRAELI,
The returns, with the omission of the paragraph in ques-
tion, were then ordered.
REMOVAL OF IRISH PAUPERS.
Mr. MAGUIRE asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether it was the intention of the Government to intro •
duce Ppy immure, in the present Aoniola, with a view of