The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-02 00:00:00

POIERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—LAST EVENING.
The Loin CHA.NcELLon took his seat on the woolsack at
five o'clock.

THE .NEW PEERS.

The new peers, Lords Cairns and Colonsay, took their
seats and the oaths.
THE ENFIELD AND SNIDER RIFLES.

The Earl DE GREY and RIPON said. that certain
statements had appeared relative to the difference
between the Enfield and Snider rifles. Ile thought it his
duty to mention that subject to the house. These para-
graphs had appeared in certain public prints relative to
experiments that had lately been made at Aldershot.
Perhaps the noble lord opposite representing the War-
office would bo able to answer the question, and to state
what was the foundation for those statements.

Lord LONGFORD stated, iu reply, that there had been
a trial of the two rifles mentioned, and that Mr. Thompson,
an inspector of musketry, who bad conducted the trial,
had stated that so far from the Snider rifle at Aldershott
being unsatisfactory, it was highly successful, and that
although at the long ranges it might not be so efficient as
the Enfield, it was much more adapted to the services of
war. There had been several trials to test the accuracy of
the Snider rifle, and each had fully proved that it was ad-
mirably constructed in that respect.
Lord DALHOUSIE objected that though the Snider
rifle might be a good weapon as regarded its accuracy
that it was too encumbered by machinery to be a simple
weapon in the hands of a private soldier. Ile had always
been of opinion that a proper committee of military people
should be appointed to inquire into the individual value of
these weapons.

The subject then dropped.
THE ELECTIONS IN IRELAND.

The Duke of ST. ALBANS moved for a copy of the
instructions issued to officers commanding regiments and
detachments called upon to aid the civil power in maintaining
order at recent elections of members of Parliament in Ire-
land, and also a copy of the instructions issued to the
magistrate concerning the use of the troops, and a report
from the General commanding the forces respecting the
employment of the military in aid of the civil power.
lie (the noble Duke) would wish that these papers, which
would throw light upon the proceedings that had taken
place at the late elections in Ireland, should be placed be-
fore that house, inasmuch as many reports had been circu-
lated relative to the scenes that had occurred at those
elections.

Lord LONGFORD said that at these various
elections barricades and other objects of offence bad
been exhibited by the people, and that the
military had behaved on all occasions, when they
assisted the civil power, with the greatest moderation ;
and at Tipperary, where a disturbance bad occurred, no
loss of life bad been sustained. The noble lord then
quoted reports from Lord Strathnairn and others, showing
the extreme moderation of the troops in all these dis-
turbances.

The Duke of CAMBRIDGE stated that the employ-
ment of troops at elections was highly objection-
able ; but considering- the disturbances that were
likely to take place at elections in Ireland—
Tipperary, Waterford, and elsewhere—it was the duty of
the civil power to call in the aid of the military, and the
latter were bound to act.. At the election at Waterford,
although an unfortunate occurrence had taken place, yet
he considered that the troops had moderately performed
their duty. The Duke, referring to the events at Dungar-
van, expressed his deep regret at the loss of life that had
occurred, but from the information he had received he
declared his conviction that no blame was to be attached
to the troops, who had borne insult, menace, and assaults
with patience and forbearance, circumstances which he
hoped the public would remember when considering the
melancholy catastrophes which had occurred at the Water-
ford election.

Lord GREY agreed that it was desirable to avoid hav-
ing recourse to military aid in civil disturbance, but ob-
served that the first duty of a Government was to protect
her Majesty's subjects in the exercise of their lawful rights.
The motion for papers was not pressed.
The Lis Pendens Bill and the Sale of Land by Auction
Bill were severally read a third time.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading
of the Ilypothec Amendment (Scotland) Bill, which
motion, after some objections from Lord Selkirk and a
qualified support from Lord Dalhousie, was agreed to.
The sitting was closed at 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPEARER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
BUNIIILL-FIELD BURIAL GROUNDS.

Mr. MILLS asked the Judge Advocate-General if, when
the present lease of the ancient burial-ground of Bunhill-
'fields to the Corporation of London expired, it was the
intention of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to preserve
it inviolate and in perpetuity, together with the vaults
and graves, and to provide for its future maintenance in
decent order ; if so, whether it was intended to promote a
bill in Parliament fur these purposes. _ _ .

31r:310 WRIIA.Y said it was the. intention of theEcelesiasti-
cal Commissioners to preserve inviolate and in perpetuity
the vaults and grave in Bunhill-fields. Certain questions
with respect to its future maintenance were still pending
between the Corporation and the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sioners, but as the lease did not-expiro until Christmas
next, it was not the intention of the Ecclesiastical Com-
missioners to propose a bill on the subject during the pre-
sent session.