The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-05 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—Dus EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
five o'clock.

SIGNALLING TO GUARDS.

In answer to a question from Lord STANLEY 0,
ALDERLEY,
The Duke of BUCKINGHAM said that experiments had
been made relative to the signalling to guards on the dif-
ferent lines of railway, and that the rep2rt of the experi-
ments would be laid before the Board of Trade.

SALES OF RE VERSIONS BILL.
This bill passed through cemmittee.
METROPOLITAN STREET ACTS AMENDMENT
BILL.
Lord DERBY said that their lordships must be all aware
of the incident which the night before last had stopped
all the cab traffic in London. He was sorry
that such an occurrence should have taken place, but he
could not but remark on the moderation and good feeling
which had characterised their meeting, and on the subse-
quent deputation to the Home Secretary the point was left
open until this bill was brought up for committal. The hard-
ships of which cabmen complained was that they should be
compelled to carry lamps, and especially as the question had
been left in the hands of the Commissioners of Police. It
was therefore proposed by his hon. friend the Secretary
of State for the Home Department to introduce a clause
that the introduction of lamps should rest with the Secre-
tary of State alone, and this appeared to give satisfaction.
He believed that it was ultimately proposed to appoint a
select committee to investigate into the whole question,
After a few remarks this clause was added to the bill.
The Drainage and Improvement of Lands (Ireland) Bill
pas ed through committee.
The Totnes, &c., Writs Bill was read a third time.
THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.
The Declaration of War against Abyssinia having been
read,
Lord DERBY moved that the hcuse do concur in the
following resolution, communicated by the Commons, viz.:
—" That her Majesty having directed a military expedi-
tion to Abyssinia, consisting mainly of troops, both
European and native, at present maintained out of the
revenues of India, the ordinary pay of such troops, as
well as the ordinary charges of vessels which would
be charged upon the revenues of India if such troops and
vessels had remained i❑ that country or adjacent seas
shall continuo to bo so chargeable; provided, however,
that it should be necessary to replace these forces and
vessels, the expense of raising, maintaining, and
providing them shall be repaid out of any moneys
which may be provided by Parliament for the
purposes of the said expedition." His lordship
said that he would thank their lordships for their readi-
ness to co-operate with her Majesty iu the expedition to
Abyssinia. The questions then were, first, that the troops
of the expedition should be sent from India; second, that
the expense should be borne by the !adieu Govern-
ment; and thirdly, what proportion of revenues should
be devoted to the purpose. With regard to the first,
the position of ludia rendered it obviously desirable that
the forces should come from India, and the landing place in
Abyssinia would be more aoeessible from India by the
Red Sea. The Governor-General of India had expressed
his opinion so long as May last that au expedition would
be necessary, and he never expressed any other opinion that
it should come from India. In relation to the second question
it was thought desirable that the charges, subject to the
consent of Parliament, should be on the revenues of India.
There was a double check upon the expenditure of the
revenues of India—the consent of the Council of India and
Parliament must also consent. The necessity
of having that was, that the revenues of India
could not be expended without it. Therefore it was
resolved that the Indian revenues should be employed.
There was no means of ascertaining what portion of the
revenues should bo paid by the Indian Government,
therefore it was resolved that the Indian Government
should pay no more than it would have cost
her if the troops and vessels had remained, and
if other expenditure was required for replacing these
troops and vessels that it should be defrayed by the Im-
perial Government, so that India would, under thecircum-
stances, pay no more than she would originally have
done. As for any extraordinary expense that may occur
in sending out these vessels, the Imperial Govern-
ment guarantee the expense. His lordship then
paid a high testimony to the impartial manner in
which the late Chancellor of the Exchequer of India had
supported the action of the Government in the matter.
Therefore, it appeared that there was unanimity iu the de-
termivation to send the expedition from India. As far as
the English troops were concerned, they could be sent
without the consent of Parliament, and the latter had con-
sented to the native troops being sent, which he considered
was in conformity with the Act of 1858. It was necessary
to have their lordships' concurrence, and he would there-
fore ask them to accept the resolution of the House o,
Commons.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said that be entirely
concurred with the noble lord that the troops should be
sent from India. According to oar notions of the law of
nations King Theodore had violated this law, and therefore
the object of the expedition was a perfectly just one. He
stigmatised the King as an unreasonable and unchecked
tyrant, and therefore he did not think that the expedition
would succeed in its object. Ile was afraid that, when we
aroused the ferocity of the King, a massacre would take
place like that of Cawnpore. When he went out to India
the advice to him was—" Keep your communicalion with
the sea."

[LBFT SPEARING.]

ROUSE OF COMMONS (THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
IRELAND.

Mr. MAGUIRE gave notice of his intention, on the
earliest possible day after the meeting of the house in
February, of moving that the circumstances of Ireland be
taken into consideration.

HACKNEY CARRIAGE ACT.
Alderman LAWRENCE gave notice that immediately
after the recess he should move that the taxation on
hackney carriages be taken into consideration with a view
to their revision, reduction, and equalisation.
Lord ELCHO gave notice of his intention after the re-
cess to move for a select committee to inquire into the
question of cab conveyance.
THE METRIC SYSTEM.

Mr. EWART asked the Vice-President of the Board of
Trade what steps her Majesty's Government were pre-
pared to take with reference to the recommendations
of the International Monetary Conference and the
Conference on International Weights, Measures,
and Coins held at Paris in June last : And
whether they were prepared to bring in a measure
to amend the Weights and Measures Act of 1864, with a
view to provide for the verification and stamping of
metric weights and measures legalised by that act ; also
for maintenance of metric standards in the Depart-
ment of the Warden of the Standards.
Mr CAVE said the Master of the Mint and Mr. Rivers
attended the conference and made a report to the Govern-
ment, which was under consideration. It would be pre-
mature to make any alteration in the weights and mea-
sures pending the report of the commission appointed last
year. _