The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDN&DAY EVENING, JUNE 27, 1860.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY•)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Earl of Longford's Estate, the Conway and Llanrwst
Railway, the Waterford and Limerick Railway (No. 2),
and the Highbridge Markets and Gas Bills were read a
second time.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
The North and South Lanarkshire Roads, the Central
Wales Railway, and the Oswestry and Newtown (branch
railways) Bills.

sitting.

of the security of the lease, and such preliminary sanction
provided for by the bill. (Hear, hear.) He agreed with
the noble lord (Lord Fermey) in regretting the course taken
by the committee on the last day of discussion, in trans-
ferring jurisdiction with reference to: title, from
the chairman of quarter session to the superior
courts, and was happy to find that a similar course was
not proposed by Government in respect to 'cuing.
A local tribunal, besides being less costly, was
bettor calculcated to arrive at a correct conclusion
in cases where any fraud was contemplated.
Mr. CARDWELL admitted that the amendment was
suggested in good spirit, but he considered a preliminary
investigation necessary, and therefore ho supported the
clause as it stood.

Mr. M'MAHON supported the amendment.
.111 r. BUTT thought that they ought not to leave the
matter between the landlord and tenant, but that they
should interpose a tribupal that would confer legal sanction
on any arrangements they might make between themselves.
Mr. SCULLY considered that the preliminary sanction
was desirable not only for the security of the tenant, but
for the sake of those persons who would be bound by the
lease.

After some further discussion, the committee divided.
When the members returned, Mr. BRAND stated that
the tellers could not agree as to the numbers, which created
great laughter, and the committee again divided
For the motion B2
Against
Majority against the amendment —3

Tho amendment was accordingly negatived.
Some discussion ensued relative to rendering the terms of
the bill more precise in regard to the granting of leases for
building purposes.

Mr. M'MAHON proposed in paragraph four to leave
out " 20" and insert " 40" in order to extend the period
if leases to bo granted.
Lord FERMOY said with regard to his property in the
county of Cork, he fancied that leases of 31 years were
sufficient for all practical purposes. Ilemould suggest that
the court should have the power to grant leases of suoh
terms as they considered suitable to different parts of the
country.

Mr. CARDWELL explained that this measure proposed
to give the court power to grant leases for 11 years, but it
empowered ecclesiastical and corporate bodies to grant
leases merely for 21 years without any preliminary sanction
being required.
Mr. M‘MAIION agreed to withdraw his amendment
and adopt the term of 31 years.
The committee then divided on the amendment as altered,
and the numbers were—

For the original clause ll7
Against
Majority
The clause was accordingly agreed to, as well as clause 26.
It being 10 minutes to 4 o'clock, the house suspended its

The house resumed at 6 o'clock.
REFRESHMENT HOUSES AND WINE LICENSES
(SCOTLAND) BILL.

The LORD ADVOCATE brought in the Refreshment
Houses and Wine Licenses (Scotland) Bill, which was
read a first time.
TAKING VOTES AT ELECTIONS.

Mr. WYLD gavo notice that on Tuesday, July 10, ho
should move for leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend
the law and practice relative to the taking of votes at elec-
tions.

see the cause of this. The constant changes which were
going on with 'regard to the embodiment and disembodi-
ment of the militia was the cause which injuriously affected
their substantial and permanent form. He would read to
the house a statement of the successive embodiments
and disembodiments which had taken place since 1851. In
1851, 18 regiments were embodied in May, June, and July;
119 regiments were subsequently embodied in December.
In the January, February, and March of 1855, a large por-
tion of 119 regiments were embodied. In May, Juno, and
July, 1856, 113 regiments were disembodied. In August
and September of the same year 30 regiments were em-
bodied, and in September, 1857, 25 were again embodied.
In 1858 and 1859 several regiments were embodied and dis-
embodied,
and in the present year several had been em-
bodied. He was ready to admit that the embodiment of
these regiments did great service to the state, and ho cast
no blame on any one who embodied them. Indeed, if any
one was to blame more than another it was the than who
set the example of embodiment, and that person was him-
self, for in 1858 a great embodiment had taken place for the
purpose of providing men for the war in the Crimea. It
was notorious that many men who entered the militia im-
bibed a taste for the profession of arms, which afterwards
induced them to join the line. It was, therefore, a matter
of policy during the Crimean war, and also during the
Indian mutiny, to embody the militia, with a view to tempt-
ing them to join the line subsequently. But this was done
at the expense of the permanent success of the militia. He
did not know whether it was wise to say that he hoped
they had seen the last of those distant wars, which induced
them to embody the militia in the expectation of getting
thereby a more rapid augmentation of the line, but at pre-
sent it appeared that every effort should be made not only
to strengthen the line, but to take care that it should not
bo strengthened at the expense of the militia, which must
be regarded as a great element in the defence of the
country. One effect of the constant embodiment and
disembodiment of the militia was to drive away the county
gentlemen. A. friend of his who had geisat experience in
the aniliti.. wrote to hterie there.terme--..
tain the services of the county gentlemen, you will have
instead of them a mixture of half-pay officess, used-up In-
dians, and adventurers." That was strong language, but
there was truth in it. A great many of these county gentle-
men were in a position to choose their own profession, and if
they desired to enter the army they would have done so,
and if they were to enter the militia without the prospect of
rank or position, it would tend to sever their connexion with
that body when embodied. He gave all credit to those who
stood to their regiments under embodiment, who served in
garrison, and even in colonial garrisons. But if the county
gentlemen had an assurance that they would not be called
upon to serve at a distance from their own homes, that they
should not have to spend their time at Aldershott or Ports-
mouth, they would look upon the militia with different eyes.
And that was still more true with regard to the men. Then
again, he must say that the system by which these regi-
ments necessarily were deprived of their best men by volun-
teering into the line greatly diminished their efficiency.
Men were cajoled and harassed, and attacked by every means
to induce them to enter the line, and to such an extent was
this system carried on that the regiments were demoralised,
their discipline was shaken, and they became a kind of Pan-
demonium for a certain time. (Hear.) The labouring class
must in future distinctly understand that the militia was to
be a reserve force, and that they were not to serve except in
case of war. A great cry had been raised of late for a local
militia, but the difference between a local militia and a gene-
ral militia he could not well understand. He believed that
nothing could be more unwise than 'to introduce a local
militia instead of a general one, and it was only in
consequence of the interference of the legislature that
the militia was diverted- from its original object.
The only thing which the militia wanted was to be left alone,
and it was only from the pressure of emergencies that their
original constitution, which was a sound and wise one, was
interfered with. He would now state the changes which
had been made in the administration of the militia force
within the last few months. The militia commission made
their report last year. Shortly after their report had bee*
made, it was his duty to introduce a bill for the purpose of
carrying such of their recommendations into effect as it was
not in his power to give effect to by means of regulations.
Since that time the following changes had been made in
consequence of the report of the commission. In the first
Place the restriction by which the militia were not liable to
serve in Ireland—a restriction which was made when ser-
vice in Ireland was not so good as it was now—was removed.
They were empowered to serve in the Channel Islands, and
power was given to unite the militia of two counties where
the force in a single county was too small. That practice
had been followed in Scotland with great advantage, and
it might also be adopted in the Welsh counties. By the
union of two counties the battalions would be stronger and
the expense would be less. He was quite aware that local
jealousies and feeling stood in the way sometimes of such
an amalgamation, but he believed that might bo got over.
Her Majesty also authorised that the time and place of
training and exercise for the militia regiments should
be fixed by the Secretary of State for War, after consult-
ing the lord lieutenant of the county upon it. Then cer-
tain fluctuating allowances, as lodging money and other
similar things, were discontinued. Fore erly the adjutants
were paid according to the number of men enrolled. This
had a most prejudicial effect, for it naturally induced them
to enrol men of whose character and antecedents they had
no knowledge, in order to swell the numerical strength
of their corps. This had also been discontinued, and since
the change had been made, and the argent wishes of the
Government had been expressed to the lords-lieutenant
and commanding officers that none but men whose ante-
cedents were known should be accepted, there had been a
marked improvement in the character of the militia regi-
ments generally. Formerly magistrates had told hint that
men had been brought before them for attestation whose
accents were not at all that of the counties to which they
were said to belong; that tramps were frequently enlisted,
received the bounty, were attested, and after a short time
deserted. Now, these same magistrates informed him that
a great difference had taken place, that the mon who came
before them were persons belonging to the county whose
residence could be ascertained, and whose characters were
known. He found by a return moved for last year by the
hon. member for Middlesex that we had then in training
44,340 men of the militia, while the number returned as
absent was 30,557. Now, this accumulation of absentees
would remain on the books, the authorities not allowing
them to be struck off, as it was thought if they did they
would be followed by others who would, as they had done,
come forward and take the bounty and not appear again.
This also was changed now ; those who did not appear at
the training were struck off, and he was happy to say the
result had been most satisfactory. The Government had
received returns from 24 regiments, in training during the
present year, their conjoint quota being 48,569. But he had
endeavoured to impress upon all military authorities that
the object was not to have a large force upon paper only,
but that the question was how many men each regiment
could produce, and therefore that it was better to refuse
men than to take such as were doubtful, and to have a
smaller number in training than a larger number of absen-
tees. Well, the effect of this alteration was that the number
of absentees in the regiments, of which they had returns this
year,and which in the last year was 4,707,was this year 2,060
—while the effectives in the same regiments, which in 1859
were 19,546, were in 1860 22,223. (Hear, hear.) This
would give upon the whole 54 regiments, 52,889 for the
present year against 44,340 last year. (Hear, hear.) Con-
sequently there was a marked improvement in the numbers
in training this year as compared with the previous one.
But they must not expect that the whole improvement
would be liumealate, tor there was no class so slow to re-
ceive the impression as the labouring class, from whom
for the most part the recruits were drawn. It would take
more time to convince them that there was no intention of
taking them away from their own counties, to remove the
fear that the regiments might not be suddenly embodied and
sent to distant parts of the country, perhaps for two or three
years, instead of being merely called out for one month in
the year for training. Ho Reed not go through all the vari
ous changes which had been made to produce a greater effi-
ciency in the force, and greater contentment amongst the
men. The following addition had been made to the perma-
nent staff of each regiment in consequence of the report of
the commission. A quartermaster, additional sergeant, hos-
pital sergeant, drum or bugle major, and two sergeants as
instructor of musketry. At present the whole of the militia,
disembodied as well as embodied, were armed with Enfield
rifles ; last year they were not. It had been suggested that
as it was necessary to instruct the men in the use of the En-
field rifle, and adjutants should be the instructors, several
of the adjutants had gone down to Hythe, and there ac-
quired great proficiency in the use of th It arm. But it was
thought that the adj dant' s duties in disembodied militia re-
giments, where he acted as paymaster as well as adjutant,
were far too onerous for him to undertake instructions in
nmsketry in addition. Accordingly two sergeants had
been sent down to qualify as instructors from
every regiment, and there were now at Hythe under
instruction 14 adjutants and 260 sergeants—the number
remaining to be instructed being 40 sergeants only, there •
fore they were very near the whole number, and he was
glad to be able to state from the authority of General Hay
that they had profited by the instruction afforded to them.
General Hay likewise bore testimony to their soldierly ap-
pearance and excellent conduct, and expressed his confidence
that the musketry of the force would be through them much
improved, it being now greatly inefficient. The commis-
sion recommended that as a general rule the promotion of
the officers should go by seniority, and that if the lord-
lieutenant departed from that rule he should assign reasons
for so doing. That rule he (Mr. S. Herbert) had adopted
he confessed with some hesitation, and r o doubt it had
given some dissatisfaction. But it was difficult for the lord-
lieutenant to say who ought in all cases to be promoted :
there were many motives which should weigh with and in-