The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-09 00:00:00

THE REFORM BILL.

Mr. GLADSTONE sail in the event, of this amend-
ment limiting the rateable value iu pariiminentary
borouels being adopted in committee, he should move
in the• third clause that whenever the rateable value of
any tenant falling below .£5 by reason of any deduction
of less than 20 per cent. for gross estimated value the
occupier may claim to vote if otherwise qualified.
THE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER
RAILWAY.

Sir M. PETO moved for the appointment of a select
committee to inquire into the means adopted by the Lon-
don, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company for raising
the share capital, and exercising their borrowing powers
under the various acts of Parliament authorising the con-
struction of the main line and its extensions and
branches.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
could not see how it became consistent with duties of the
House of Commons to undertake the investigation pro-
posed. They all knew and entertained the highest respect
for the hon. member for Bristol ; they all knew the troubled
condition of the railway in question, and they could not but
regret that he had unfortunately become involved with
them. He thought, however, that the house ought to hesi-
tate before they agreed to that motion, because there were
peculiarities about it with which the house Lad no con-
cern. They were private speculations, and those who em-
barked in them did so at their own risk. We should like
to know where the line was to be drawn if this inquiry
was to take place into the London, Chatham, and Dover
Railway. Why should not inquiries be made into the
affairs of other railway companies ? Why should the
position of railways only be inquired into ? Why should
not banks also fall within the scope of Parliamentary
inquiry ? He regretted the motion, but he could not re-
commend the house to agree to it.
Mr. BARING asked the hon. member for Maidstone,
who had the following motion on the paper, whether he
intended to proceed with it As an amendment to Sir
Morton Peto's motion for a select committee on the London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway Company, to add, at end,
' and also into the means adopted by three of the mem-
bers for Huntingdon, Bristol, and Dover, for raising money
for the Grand Trunk Railway of Canda, and the London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway.'"
Mr. WITATMAN said he did not intend to proceed with
his amendment. He was quite ready to meet the hon.
gentleman mentioned in his motion in any way they
thought proper. (Laughter.)
Lord CRANBORNE said he did not know whether the
hon. gentleman who had just sat down implied a challenge
by his observation. (Laughter.) He (Lord Cranborne)
thought it highly unsatisfactory that, after putting an
amendment on the paper, pointing at something like fraud,
that when the time came for bringing it forward he
should fail to substantiate his charges. He thought it was
desirable that some opinion should be expressed by the
house on such a matter.

Mr. WHATMAN said if it was the wish of the house,
he was quite ready to go on. (Loud cries of "Go on, go

Mr. CRAWFORD rose to order. He thought
it was not competent for the house to inquire into his
onduct other than-that done in that house, or in his ells-
actor of a member of Parliament. _ . _

The SPEAKER could not say that the motion pointed
to anything like fraud. lie could not say that there was
anything on the piper which was a violation of the rules
of the house.

Mr. GLADSTONE did not think it was the wish of the
house that the matter should go on. There WaSllO charge
of fraud, therefore the character and high honour of the
hon. gentleman 'mentioned was not impeached. He could
but regret that the hon. baronet, the member for Bristol,
had brought forward the matter, and no one sympathised
with him, who had conferred so great a benefit ou his
country some years ago, more than he did. Ile hoped,
however, the motion for the committee would be with-
drawn.
Mr. Baring, Mr. Watkin, and Mr. Hodgson having de-
clared their willingness to defend their conduct when and
wherever it was called in question,
Sir M. PETO said after the kind remarks of the two
right hon. gentlemen, he could not hesitate to withdraw
his motion. He could not express how deeply he felt the
kind observations that had been made respecting him by
the right hon. gentleman the leader of the house.
The motion was then by leave withdrawn, so also was
the amendment of Mr. Whatman.

[ LEFT SITTING. I

LONDON GAZETTE.—This .Evening.

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S-OFFICE, ST. TAMES'S

PALACE, APRIL 5:

Notice is hereby given, that his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales will, by command of the Queen, hold a
Levee at St. James's Palace, on behalf of her Majesty, on
Wednesday, the Ist of May next, at 2 o'clock.
It is the Queen's pleasure that presentations to his Royal
Highness at this Levee shall be considered as equivalent to
presentations to her Majesty.
WINDSOR CASTLE, Meech 26.

The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of
Knighthood upon Charles Henry Pennell, Esq.
WHITEHALL, APRIL 8. . . .

The Queen has been pleased .to direct letters patent to
be passed.under the Great Seal Granting the dignity of a
Baronet of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land to the undermentioned Gentlemen, and the respective

heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten, viz.:—
The Right Honourable Joseph Napier, of Merrion-square
in the city of Dublin.
William Bagge, of Stradsott Hall, in the county of Nor-

folk, Esq.--
Benjamin Lee Guinness, of Ashford, in the county of
Galway, and of Saint Stephen's Green, in the city of
Dublin, Eoq.
William Lawrence, of Ealing Park and of Whitehall-place,
in the county of Middlesex, Esq., one of her Majesty's
Sergeant Surgeons.
MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, APRIL 8.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been
pleased to appoint Colonel R. Nigel F. Kingscoto, C. 8.,
an Extra Equerry to his Royal Highness.

FOREIGN OFFICE, APRIL 8.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of Don
Enrique Chapman as Consul at Montreal for the Argen-
tine Republic.
The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Doctor
Domingo Moutbrum as Consul-General over the British
Antilles, to reside at Trinidad, for the United States of
Venezuela.

The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. J.
Stuart Day as Consul at Cowes for his Majesty the King
of the Belgians.
DOWNING-STREET, APRIL 8.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Colonel Frede-
rick E. Chapman, r6E., K.C.8., to be Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Bermudas or Somers Islands.
WAR Ok'FICE, PALL MALL, Arun 9.
Commissariat Department. Commissary-General
William Henry Drake, C.B, from half-pay, to be Com-
missary-General.
ADMIRALTY, APRIL 5.
Commander Charles Gray Rigge has been allowed to
assume the rank of Retired Captain, and Lieutenant Samuel
Weller George Fasting May that of Retired Commander,
respectively, from the Ist instant, under her Majesty's
Order in Council of 9th July, 1864. _ _

Lieutenants Frederfck Morris and Arthur Brathwaite
Warre hare been promoted to be Retired Commanders,
under her Majesty's Orders in Council of let August, 1860,
9th July, 1864, and 24th March, 1866.