The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-13 00:00:00

THE REPRESENTATION OF SCOTLAND.

A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of Edin
burgh was held on Monday to consider the claims
of Scotland in connection with the redistribution of
scats. Mr. Harrison, chairman, presided.
The Secretary read a communication • from the
city clerk containing a copy of resolutions adopted
by the town council relative to sending a deputa-
tion to London to press the claims of Edinburgh
on the Government in connexion with the redistri-
bution of seats scheme of the Scottish Reform Bill,
and asking the chamber to appoint a small deputa-
tion to co-operate. He also read the copy of a
telegram which the city clerk had received, to the
effect that Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli had de-
clined to receive the council deputation.
The CHAIRMAN said he was much surprised at
the decision of the right hon. gentleman, and he
trusted that the Lord Advocate would bring such
facts to bear on the matter as would enable them
to arrive at a different conclusion. He thought they
should urge the case, not of particular places, but
of Scotland in general. In every point of view
Scotland was entitled to a larger share in the redis-
tribution of seats than had been offered to her on
either side of the house. He moved a resolutiOn to
the effect that Scotland is entitled to a largely in-
creased representation, and that a third member
ought to be allocated for Edinburgh, as proposed in
the Reform Bill of 1866.
Mr. M'LAREN, M.P., said that this was really a
case of "justice to Scotland," and he approved
rather treating the matter on this broad basis than
giving local claims undue prominence. He believed
that if the Scotch members would as a body go for-
ward and state their claims fairly they would receive
justice at the hands of the Government. But on
this question the Scotch members had more need of
enlightenment than Government itself ; and unless
they got these gentlemen to come forward and ask
what was right, they could hardly blame Govern-
ment for not giving them what they expected.
He believed her Majesty's Ministers had refused
about sixty deputations from Scotland" wishing to
press special claims, but Mr. Disraeli had politely
assured him that he would pay every attention to
any memorial that might reach him on the subject.
But they could hardly expect that when in a pre-
vious bill the proposed addition to the Scotch mem-
bers was only seven, the Conservative party would
volunteer to give more. No Government cared
about giving more than they were obliged to do
and especially when it would cramp their own toes
The Conservative party saw that the large pro-
portion of the Scotch members were Liberals, and
they believed that every addition to the Scotch con-
stituency was just adding a Liberal member to the
house ; and when they considered that Mr. Disraeli
found considerable jealousy exhibited by certain
English members of the house, the Scotch consti-
tuencies could hardly blame him for not bringing
forward a measure such as they expected—more
especially when they had taken so little trouble to
make known their views.
in answer to a question, Mr. M'LAREN thought
the English Bill, were it to receive such modifica-
tions by Government as certain parties hinted,
would pass this session, but he did not think the
Scotch Bill would. The one hinged on the other ;
and if the English Bill passed and left only seven
seats vacant in the house, they could count
on these seven being the only addition they would
receive to their present representation, as he found
there was a strong feeling in the house against any
increase of their members.
The Chairman's motion was carried, and a com-
mittee was appointed to co-operate with other
public bodies on the subject of the representation of
Scotland.

EXCITING SCENE AT A EIRE IN

BIRMINGHAM.

Early on Saturday morning a fire broke out in
the house of Mr. James Ede, draper, Newton-row
Birmingham. The fire originated in the shop, and
smoke soon filled the house, awaking Mrs. Ede, who
roused her husband, and he, in his efforts to find a
way of escape, fell through a skylight and hurt his
foot. Recovering his self-possession, he assisted his
wife out of the window with her baby, and going
along the roof of his own and of an adjoining
shop, he and his charges gained access to a
neighbouring house, the inmates of which were
aroused, and admitted the party. There still re-
mained three persons sleeping in Mr. Ede's house,
and the fire was every moment gaining ground, and
threatening to consume not only the shop, but the
dwelling-house also. The three persons thus impe-
rilled were Mr. William Ede, his wife, and a female
servant. Mr. Wm. Ede, being roused, jumped out
through a window in the rear of the house, and ran
for a ladder with which to rescue the other in-
mates. He got the ladder, placed it to the window,
and was briskly making his way up to it when it
broke. A moment of despair, and then a courage-
ous, ingenious device was promptly put into execu-
tion. A wall ran close to the window ; Mr. Wm.
Ede could not jump on to it, nor could the servant.
To attempt it would have been to incur the immin-
ent risk of being killed by a fall. But Mr. William
Ede could bridge the chasm with his body, and he
did it. fie rested his feet on the window-sill and
clung with his hands to the wall, and his wife
passed over him and the servant followed. Thus
all were safe apparently. The fire engines ar-
rived, and, seeing no prospect of being able to
save the shop or anything in it, the firemen
directed their attention to the preservation of the
premises on either side. While they were at vrork,Nlr.
William Ede bethought him that a £2O note lay in
the pocket of his overeat inside the burning build-
ing, and he reckoned that it would not.,be -a bad
stroke of business if he could save the coat and the
note for a sovereign, This sum was accordingly