The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-08 00:00:00

MAY 8, 1858.

away money would choose to rely upon such an unsatis-
factory proof as the cheque ; and when, therefore, they
put a stamp upon a draft they would, generally speaking,
require the person in whose favour it was drawn to con-
tribute another penny to the revenue. (Hear, bear.) The
hon. gentleman (Ur. Cox) need not be under doubt as to
the exemption of the savings banks.
Colonel SYKES said the debate had led him to repeat
the suggestion he had already made, namely, that a penny
stamp should be put upon all tradesmen's bills above 108.
That plan would obviate the many difficulties that would
arise, and it would, moreover, yield a far greater sum than
the present proposal.
After some further discussion the clause was agreed to.
Mr. GURNEY brought up the following• additional
clause :—" Provided always, that it shall be lawful for
any banker, or person acting as a banker, to whom a draft
or order is presented for payment, if such draft or order
requires to be stamped with a penny stamp, and has not
been so stamped, to affix an adhesive stamp of one penny
to such draft or order, and having affixed and duly
cancelled such stamp, then to'pay such draft or order ; and
that it shall in like manner be lawful for any person to
whom any such unstarnped draft or order may be tendered
to affix thereto an adhesive penny stamp, and, after
having duly cancelled the came, to receive such draft or
order in payment, and to negotiate and circulate the
same."

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
clause was so opposed to the principle upon which the
whole law relating to stamps was founded—namely, that
every document which ought to be stamped should have
the stamp at once placed upon it—and it would likewise
open so wide a door to invasion, that he felt it his duty- to
resist the proposal. (Hear, hear.)
The clause was then negatived without a division.
In answer to 11r. KINNAIRD,
Mr. 11151ILTON said that adhesive stamps might be
used, though of course not postage stamps. From inquiries
he had made at the Inland Revenue-office, he had no doubt
that there would be an ample supply of impressed stamps
ready before the 24th. (Hear, bear.)
The preamble was then agreed to and the house re-
sumed.

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

The house went again into committee on resolution 2, of
which the following words hat only been carried, viz.,
" That for this purpose it is expedient to provide that her
Majesty"—the remainder of the resolution being as fol-
lows—" by one of her principal Secretaries of State, shall
have and perform all the powers and duties relating to the
government and revenues of India which are or may be
now exercised and performed by the East India Company,
or by the Court of Directors or Court of Proprietors of the
said company, either alone or with the approbation of the
Commissioners for the Affairs of India."
Mr. RICH moved as an amendment to leave out "one
of her principal Secretaries of State, and insert " a pre-
sident of council for the government of India. The, hon.
gentleman after expressing his satisfaction at the course
the Government had taken in abandoning their bill. and
proceeding by yes dution, said he did not consider it of any
import moo whether the new Indian Minister was called
the President of a Beard of Indian Commissioners or the
President of an Indian Council ; but he thought there was
a wide distinction betwe, n such an officer and a Secretary
of State There were hon. gentlemen who argued that if
there was a Secretary of State there ought to be no coun-
cil at all, or at all events a council so much in subordina-
tion to the secretary that it would either be a mere non-
entity or a political screen. (Hear.) For his own part,
he thought the multiplication of secretaryshipe of state
was a dangerous precedent to follow ; and the examples
they already had before them were not such as to invite
imitation
Mr. M. MILNE'S attached to the motion more import-
ance than the hon. gentleman himself seemed to do. He
desired that his support of the amendment should imply
the strongest possible expression of his opinion, that though
the East India Company in its integrity was destroyed,
the indepseident government by which its power and pros-
perity had been so long sustained should not be lost sight
of in making their new arrangements. (Cheers.) As the
company was to be destroyed, all they who believed it to
have been a good government could do was to assert in
every way the principle of having real power vested in the
council, without offering any factions opposition to the
resolutions of the bill. Believing that a president of the
council might conduct the affairs of India with the same
authority as a secretary of state, and be relieved by his
council, he should vote in favour of the amendment, hop-
ing that very soon the house would have before it full in-
formation as to tho powers and duties of the council.
Lord STANLEY said that it would no doubt be a wise
precaution, on the part of the committee, to refuse to
assent to assent to any resolution without knowing abso-
lutely what it was to which the resolution might pledge
them. It bad been said by one who bad looked a good
deal into the subject that however large a programme might
be laid before Parliament, the greater part of the debate
would turn upon one point, the constitution and powers
of the council. (Hear, hear.) That prediction had been so
far verified ; and they had been rally discussing the ques-
tion of the constitution of the council upon a resolution
which dealt only with the title which the Parliamentary
Minister for Luna was to bear. He might remind the com-
mittee that the responsibility of the Minister was the sub-
ject of a separate resolution. The constitution and powers
of the council were the subject of the fourth resolution;
and though they did not bear very closely upon one another
he thought it would be wise to endeavour to separate those
questions, and to deal with them when the proper time
came. (Hear, bear.) The committee would pledge itself
to nothing as to the power to be vested in the Minister for
India by merely passing this resolution as it stood. There
was nothing in the name of Secretary of State which ne-
cessarily defined with peculiar accuracy the ,uties of that
Minister. The Secretary of State for gar bore the title ;
yet his relations with the Horse Guards were somewhat
peculiar. He did not hold that up as a body for initiation
(Laud cries of " Hear, hear.") He merely pointed to it to
show that the title of Secretary of State did not define,
with strict and minute accuracy, the peculiar functions to
be performed by the pers .ns holding that title. The mover
of the amendment had objected to the multiplication of
offices ; but in this case the objection did not apply. Ho
had also referred to the government of the colonies by
Secretaries of State, and said that the colonies had been
governed very badly. (Hear.) He (Lord Stanley) was not
there to defend the Colonial Government of 'England in
times past ; no doubt it had been marked by many and
great faults ; but most of those faults had originated in an
error which at the prorent time we were not very likely to
fell into —the error of attempting to govern too ,much in
England, and to leave too little power an 1 responsibility
to the loc it authorities. But this was, in point of fact, not
an objection to the title which the Indian Minister was to
boar, but to the nature of the office he was to fill. It was
an objection to the whole principle of both bills—to the
whole course of po'icy which that house, by so large a
majority, had sanctioned and approved—and not to this
particular resolution. It was said that if they created
a Secretary of State, they would make himself so far ab-
solute that the council would have nothing to do bet give
him advice when he as,ied for it. That was entirely a
question for the fourth resolution, which they should dis-
cuss inure appropriately when they came to it. (Hear.)
He did not attach so much importance to the title of the
Minister as the hon. gentleman who had supported the
amendment, but he should ask the house to pass the reso-
lution in its present form. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. V. SMITH agreed that it would bo well to reserve
the discussion on the council until they came to the fourth
resolution ; and perhaps the proposal that there should be
a President of the Council raised the question whether
there should be a council at all. But the proposal to ap-
point
a Secretary of State for India did carry with it the
impression that he would have the sole power. In discuss-
ing this point they were embarking on a constitutional
question. A Secretary of State must take the commands
Of her Majesty ; and if be was afterwards to consult a
council there might be some inconvenience in that. (Hear.)
Thou there was an objectiou to multiplying Secretaries of
State, who went out of offics with the Government ; and
it seas most desirable that the Indian Minister should be
more permanently retained than any other office. He
thought it would be beat to adopt the resolution in the
Era' first proposed, containing the words " by a respon-
sible Minister of the Crown." (Hear.) That would pro-
b.,bly meet all the difficulties th it ha i been raised.
Sr J. PAKINGTON said, there would be no objection
to this suggestion. There were difficulties connected with
either bill. The functions of the Indian Minister would
bo more those of a Secretary of State than a President of a
Council. It bad been suggested that there would be a
difficulty in the Minister taking the pleasure of the Crown
and afterwards consulting his council ; but there was
really no practical difficulty ire the matter. The Govern-
ment would accept the suggestion, and substitute the
words " responsible Minister of the Crown."
Sir G. C. LEWIS thought it would be more convenient
not now to determine the powers of the council, but
merely discuss the title which the minister should bear.
By a secretary of state he understood one to whom the
u
p-rintendeuce of a great department of the public busi-
nesss had been assigned; all the rest was left under the im-
mediate power of the Crown, to be decided by instructions
to the Secretary of State. There was no instance where a
Secretary of State had anything like a council. Tue Secre-
tary for War and tho Horse Guards hid been referred to;
but the cowman ler-in-chief was entirely subject to the
directions of the War Mieist ‘r. The house had us difficulty
in deciding this question, because they did not know what
would be the powers of the council ; there would be a con-
stitutional anomaly in req driug that a secretary of state
shoal I obtain the sanction of a majority of his councie Ho
doubted whether the bill would pass the house without
giving the council some control over the affairs of India.
(Hear.) The sixth resolution required the appointments
to be made with the concurrence of the council ; thatmust
mean the majority of the council if it meant anything.
There would be one case, at all events, in which the Minis-.
ter must obtain the sanction of his council. It might be
in the power of the house to altar the constitutional cha-
racter of the office of Secretary of State ' • but it was a mat-
ter for serious consideration whether they should do so.
He hoped the Government, having consented to the adop-
tion of a neutral term in this resolution, would give the
matter their attention before the question of the council
came before the house, (Hear.)
Mr. E. ELLICE s yid it appeared to him that we were
legislating in the dark with regard to India, and that very
few men indeed understood the question. He should,
however, throw no obstacles in the war of the very ano-
malous proceedings in wh ch they had embarked, in which
three great parties were suapoiticg three diametrically
opposite priuciples. (Rear, hear.) Was there no differ-
enee then, between a council nominated by the crown and
an elective council ? (Hear.) He was sure thee, the noble
lord at the heal of the Government would sustain his view,
and not Cu resent to be the lacquey of any opinions but
his own. There was, then, no difference between his two
noble friends on the subject of nomination. (He hear )
His plen would be to make the now machinery uitror as
little as possible from the old, taking possession in the
name of the crown, but making as little cbanee as they
could do with. If they could not frame an independent
council, let them take- the one they had ; but, for Go is
s ike, let them not take a false step, which might shako
their Indien empire to its foundation. (Load cheers.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the committee bad no
doubt listened with much attention and instruction to the
speech of the right bon. gentleman, He was not going to
attempt to answer that speech, but one thing must have
struck every hon. member who had heard it, and that was,
that one-half of the speech had been uttered too late and
the other half too soon ; that a great part would have been
excellent on the motion of the hon. member for Hunting-
don, and the rest would have suited admirably with the
amendment of the noble lord the member for Durham.
But to ask the house suddenly, during a discussion on the
second res elution, to r.,ver=e all that it had done, mud on
v. ry threshold of its taste to throw up its bands in despair,
would be a mean dastardly line of conduct, which he was
sure the committee would never consent to. (Hear, hear.)
The right hon. member bad gone through the proposal of
the noble lord, the member for Tiverton, and also the reso-
lution which he (Lord J. Russell) had laid on the table,
but it would be premature then to go into the whole sub-
jct. The great advantage of resolutions was, that each
might be discussed separately, and therefore he could not
consent to go with his right hon. friend into a re-argument
of a question which had already been, he bored, finally de-

tided by the house. The first resolution transferring the
powers of the East India Company to the crown had been
passed, and with its settlement was disposed of many of
the arguments of his right bon. frienu's speech His right
hon friend said that it would be impmsiblo for a sect etary
of state with any council to carry on the government of
India. If that argu.nent were to be listened to, it would
apply to the fifteen or twenty crown colonies all with dif-
ferent constitutions, all of which had to be looked
after by a secretary of state. Some of these colonies had
Dutch, some had Spanish, and some had French laws,
while some more had the ancient colonial constitutions. To
all these matters a secretary of state had to attend, andif
ho were to draw a picture of these difficulties it would be
said that it was impossible f r a secretary of state to
manage them. He believed that the administration of
India would be a still more simple duty, and that a secre-
tary of state would have no difficulty in getting through
it. His right hon. friend had spoken severely of our old
colonial administration, but he (Lord J. Russell) would
remind the house that in former times the West Indians
had slavery, arid that it would have been impossible to
give a constitution to a country in which the p-rsons who
were to govern were masters, and the persons to be go-
verned slaves. (Hear, hear.) Neither could they have
given a constitution to Australia, when its whole popula-
tion consisted of housebreakers and pickpockets. They
could hardly think of having a House of Lords consisting
of housebreakers, or of Commons with pickpockets for its
members. (A laugh.) That could not be thought of for a
moment, and therefore the Colonial-office had to wait until
time and experience had put the colonists in a position to
govern themselves. (Hear, bear.) A great deal of what
had been done had had to wait for a fitting time, and be-
sides the resent colonial system was only a revival of the
old colonial system of the seventeenth century. (Hear,
hear.) With regard to the particular resolution which
was the real question before the house, what they had to
decide was whether a Minister of the Crown should govern
India with or without a council, as the house might de-
cide. He was not very anxious about the distinction be-
tween president anti secretary, but was inclined in that
matter to favour the proposal of the Government.. But
there was one question of the deepest importance, and that
wan the character and constitution of the council which
was to assist in governing India. Now what he wanted
to know was, did his right hon. friend, when speaking of
as independent council, mean a council that was to have
the sole power of governing India or not ? (Hear, hear.)
The bill of the present Government and the bill of his
noble friend the member for Tiverton said, let them be a
council to advise —and the bill of his noble friend gave the
power to the president to act alone—independent of the
council where the secret committee would have acted. But
the secret committee had the power to deal with matters of
the greatest importance connected with the government of
India. Was the proposed mini-ter to have the power, for
instance, to take a step which might result in a war, entail-
ing an expense upon the country of four or five millions?
He asked, was the power to be placed in the minister of
the Crown, or the council ? If in the minister of the crown,
then they would have the responsibility of the minister of
the crown to that house and to the country, and he might
be called to account if ha should be wanting in prudence,
vigour, or capacity. But if they had a council, be it ap-
pointed for six years, eight years, cr, as he proposed, during
good behaviour, and left to the council the decision of those
great points of policy on which the welfare and safety of
India. was involved, then he contended they would still be
keeping up the double government, and the sham of re-
sponsibility,' as it was called, would remain. The minister
of the crown would nominally govern, but this council,
who could not be removed except for some act amounting
almost to a crime, would practically be the government,
and a government without responsibility. Thus if there
was misconduct all the evils of it would be suffered, while
the remedy which the house had in the case of a responsi-
ble minister would be lost. In agreeing to the present
resolution he conceived that he was agreeing to a resolu-
tion that was entirely in concurrence with the opinions of
both the late and the present government thet whatever
might be the details hereafter to be determined upon, that
there should be a minister of state who was to be respon-
sible for the government of India, and who was to be
supreme. If they transferred the responsibility of the
government to the council or to the majority of the coun-
cil, not only would they destroy the present form of govern-
ment for India, but they made the new government less
efficient than that which now existed; for though nomin-
ally the government was in the hands of the Court of
Directors, every step taken by Parliament since 1784 was
to transfer it to the Board of Control with whom the cen-
tral governing power now remains.
Sir H, VERNEY, who spoke amid loud and impatient
calls for a division, remarked that the more the question
was ventilated and discussed, the more must the opinion
gain groun t that it would be impossible to give the power
to the minister, and at the same time preserve the inde-
pendent character of the Council.
Mr. DISRAELI observed that the resolution merely
asked the house to confirm the principle that the govern-
ment of India having been transferred from the East India,
Company to the Crown, all the functions of the administra•
tion Indian affairs should be concentrated in a minister
of state. As to whether he should be called a secretary of
state or a president (though ho thought the constitutional
argument was in favour of the furiner title), it was not so
important a question as that it should be made a subject of
controversy at the present stage of the proceedings. The
object of the resolution was rather to express the general
scope of the opinion the house entertained upon the parti-
cular point, whether the government should be pieced in
the hands of a minister of state— the name by which that
minister was to be designate?, being merely a question of
detail, might be settled afterwards. He would sugge't to
omit the brat words of the resolution, and substitute the
word. " by one of the responsible ministers of the Crown."
If this were adopted, it might be as well perhaps to omit
the third resolution for the present also.
Mr. FORTESCUE said the change would have an effect
on which they might congratulate themselves that it would
reduce the number os the resolutions they had to encounter
by one. He thought, however, the question as to whether
the minister was to ba a secretary of state or a preei ient
was not of the slight importance that it had been consi-
dered by somesewho had spoken to-night.
Lord PALMERSTON said his hon. friend, seemed to
think that there was something inconsistent in his voting
for the motion after he had introduced a bill which would
have established a council. But there was no reason why
they should not vote for having a responsible Minister of
the Crown by this resolution, and afterwards vote for
any council they pleased. If the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer ha I not withdrawn the third resolution for the
reasons he had stated, he should have opposed it for a rea-
son inherent in itself. 119 proposed that the Minister
should govern in the same manner as the Secretaries of
State. Now, if there was to be a council, the Minister
would not govern in the same manner.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that if
the noble lord had had occasion to bring forward that ob-
jection, he should have shown, certainly to his own satis-
faction, and be hoped to that of the house, that it was per-
fectly invalid. ( Laughter. )
Mr. T. BARING trusted that his hon. friend the mem-
ber fur Richmond would not press his amendment to a
division. At the came time, in passing the resolution the
committee must be on its guard against conceding too
much. It was evident that from the passing of that
resolution the whole local government of India must be
altered, and it behoved them therefore to take care that
too much power was not given to the new President of the
Council.

Mr. RICH then withdrew his amendment, and the
' second resolution was agreed to.
Mr. WALPOLE then moved the third resolution, which
was as follows : —" That in order to assist the Minister of
the Crown in the discharge of his duties, it is expedient
that a council shall be appointed of not lees than le or
more than 18 members."
Sir E. COLEBROOKE moved that the chairman report
progress. It was impossible that a resolution of such im-
portance could be adequately debated at that hour of the
night. (Loud cries of Go on.)
The C HANCE uott of the EXCHEQUER coincided
in the view taken by the hon. member, that on the whole
they were not likely to make much progress by entering
upon the discussion at that hour.
Mr. E. ELLICE said the fact was the third clause con-
stituted too whole question in dispute; and therefore to
corninence discussing it at that hour was absurd.
Sir E. PERRY thought it rather suspicious that these
motions for adjournment should every night proceed from
gentlemen who wore opposed to all legislation for India
(Hear.) He thought the right hon. gentleman opposite
ought to resist the motion for reporting progress.
Mr. ROEBUCK was certainly not opposed to legisla-
tion during the present session. At the same time if they
desired to have a consecutive and well-directed discussion
on the clause he thought they ought to adjourn the debate
to another day--(hear)—and the more especially as before
any of the numerous amendments on the paper, regarding
the composition of the council came on to be discussed, he
should like to raise the preliminary ono, whether ahere
ought to be a council at all.
Lord PALMERSTON quite agreed with the hon. an I
learned gentleman, and thought that they would most
facilitate pi ogress by adjourning the discussion to the
earliest possible hour on Monday.
Lerd J. RUSSELL joined in the proposal for reporting
progress, but thought they ought first to settle the order
in which they sheuld proceed. It seemed to him to be the
moat convenient-couree to discuss the several amendments
on the act—the composition and numbers of the council
seriatim, an I, after disposing of them, to enter upon the
discusiden of the hon, member for Sheffield's amendment
namely, whether there should be a council at all.
Mr. ROEBUCK would consent to the suggestion of the
noble lord, although he thought the more logical course
would be to discuss his amendment first. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER acknow-
ledged that he felt die appointed at their not having made
more progress that evening. As to resuming the discus-
sion ea ly on Monday he was afraid that other subjects
would interfere and prevent that. He would suggest, then,
as their only alternative, that some of the intervening days
between Monday and Friday should be given up for the
pared to move his
gemnerr.alEcoonEsil3duerioKtiosn of
aiti thhe es
owrouol
liintion
beps.
re
amendment on Tuesday that the discussion be renewed.
Lord R. CECIL, who had a motion on the paper for Tues-
dayeums t p
lv h shouldagainst
thisattackrivate
nie
wb
o on
„trh.b
ecalled
the rights
vate, members.
to give up their opportunities for the sako of discussing
the pyiuciples of a measure which every one knew was not
ititeniled to become law this year. (Hear, hear.)
The motion for reporting progress was then agreed to.
CHELSEA HOSPITALBI (PURCHASE OF LANDS)
L.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
FRANCHISE PRISONS BILL.
This bill also was road a Ilirdt inae at.d passed.
SUPPLY OF GAS FOR THE METROPOLIS.
Ou the motion of Mr. BYNG a select committee was
ordered to be appointed for inquiry into en 1 reportin as
to the existing arrangements for the supply of gas to the
metropolis.
The other orders were disposed of, and the house ad-
journed at a quarter past 12 o'clock.

FNGLAND AND LIBERTY.— M. Loni; Blanc having
writlea his new be o'r, "Ifi.torieal Reveletions," in
English rather than Frew:), thus justifies h mstlf in
doing so :—" It -a no small honour to htr (Englanc)
that her language should be, at this moment, the verna-
cular of libt•rty, the only ian4usge in which freemen of
every nation can interchange ideas a,d print their
thoughts with any chance of finding a puqic all .wed
to read them."
11.1.1.1Ey OUTDONE', —..Mona t a herd of remount I tlat
were brought t Kirke°, near Poonab, way one
most obstreperous little nag. A tall six feat front rank
man of the 3 DniZOOU Guards—.a splendid specimen of
the "old plunger" Vittor's and Albuera section boys
—stepped up to the fractious little brute, awl withcut
much ado tucked the struggling creasure under his
brawny arm, and, amidst the cheers arid laughter of the
whole corps, carried him round the parade ground, and
set the astonished animal down es hale as evnr Mr.
Rarey could have made him.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

Marlborough, 131, s rew, Cap'. Lord Frederick
Kerr, flag of Vice-Admiral Arthur Fanahawe, will
haul alongside the Portsmouth Dockyard jetty on
Monday next, to receive a newly-invented screw
propeller, by Messrs. Penn and Son, with which
she will be fitted, and proceed to the measured
mile at Stokes Bay, to test her speed, at the next
spring tides._ _

- Duke of Wellington, 131, screw, Captain Henry
Eyres, C. 8., will haul out of the steam-basin dock
into Portsmouth Harbour, on Friday next, the
16th inst.

The screw steamship Orion, 91, went from Hamo-
aze into the Channel on Thursday, to try her en-
gines. They gave satisfaction.

- The screw steamship Brunswick, 80, Captain
Erasmus Ocamaney, left Plymouth Sound for
Hamoaze on Wednesday.
Her Majesty's ship Ilasiingß, 60 guns, which had
for some time been stationed at Liverpool as a
Coastguard ship, sailed on Thursday for a month's
cruise along the coast, and will visit the isle of
Man, Holyhead, and other ports within her dis-
trict, returning to 11,z moorings in the Mersey.
She is accompanied by the Dapper, one of the gun-
no its lately appointed to that port. - It is said to
ne in contemplation to remove the Hastings alto-
gether from Liverpool, and replace her with one of
the new 90 or 100 gun screw lino•of-battle ships.
Fox, old 42, frigate, convected to a screw, for
transport service, has been brought down the har-
bour at Portsmouth, and is to have her sea stores
and fittings taken out of her. She was hastily con-
verted during the Russian war for the purpose of
cony -ying boilers and machinery to the Baltic.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Gorgon, 6, Com-
mander Dayman, from Deptford, accompanied by
The Clinker, Porpoise, and Quail gunboats, arrived
in Plymouth Sound on Tuesday evening, and on
Wednesday afternoon went up Hamoaze.
Her Majesty's ships Banshee and Vivid, de-
spatched to Ostend in the service of the young
Queen of Portugal and suite, have returned to
Woolwich and taken up their moorings off the
dockyard.

Two tug steamers, with artillerymen front Ports-
mouth, arrived at Plymouth on Thursday.
The following additionst i t ,e establishment of
Devonport and Keyham Yards are to take place
forth alth by hiring the following numbers :
Blockmakers, 2 ; painters, 10 ; millwrights, 6 ;
joiners, 10 : smiths, 30 ; plumbers, 6 ; locksmith,
1 ; pi,ch heater, 1 ; labourers, 130.
A letura relative to the co Ainuous service men-
,nd boys serving in her Majesty's navy was printed
yesterday, at the in,ratice of Sir Charles Napier,
from which it appears that the number of cduti-
nuous service men serving in the fleet on the
Ist of January, 1857, was 17,432 • the number
discharged from -he service during the year 1857,
.ncluding 604 discharged by survey, was 2,973; the
number serving in the fleet on the Ist
of January, 1858, was 15,694 ; and the number
nter,d into service since the Ist of January, 1858,
ep to the 30 h of April, 1858 (as per engagements
received to that date), was 530 ; the number of
boys servi, g in the fleet on the Ist of January,
1857, was 7,520 ; the number of boys discharged
f om the service during the year 1857 was 865 ;
the number of boys serving in the fleet on the Ist
of Janu,,ry, 1858, was 5,854.
Tue 12th company of Royal Engineer;' under
the command of Captain Montague Stopfurd
Whitmore, have received orders to be held in rea-
diness to embark for the Cape of Good Hope, where
they will relieve the Sappers and Miners now at
that station. The 12th company numbers 120
men.

The recent presentation of the model gun and
its equipment to the Emperor of the French is
about to be succeeded by the presentation to the
French nation of a most interesting relic, which
has been deposited in the Royal repository at Wool-
wich since the year 1819—namely, the identical
hearse which served to convey the body of the
Imperial exile of St. Helena to the tomb. It was
yesterday removed by order of Government to the
workshops of the Royal carriage department of the
arsenal, in order to its complete renovation. It
consists of the lower portion of the carriage used by
Napoleon in his solitary rambles over the rugged
roads of the island, and which at his death was
converted into his funeral bier. Some portions of
the black paint have disappeared in certain places,
exhibiting the original yellow. Although strict
caution has been almost invariably observed on the
visit of sti angers to the repository, the velvet hang-
ings of this interesting object have been ruthlessly
lopped and portions of the woodwork hacked away.
Major-General Peel, Secretary at War, has ordered
the carriage to be restored to its former condition,
and in that state to be presented to the French
nation.

The encampment of troops at Freshwater East
for the purpose of practice with the Enfield rifle has
teen ordered. The ball and shell practice of the
Naval Coast Volunteers has commenced on board
the Violet gunboat, tender to the Etgle, Coast-
guard ship at Pembroke Dockyard. For this pur-
pose the Violet proceedsome distance out to sea off
mouth of the hall) mr. The signal stations
down Milford Haven are to be continued until the
annual inspection by the Lords of the Admiralty.
Mr. Eaos Vaughan, second-class inspector has be,n
pr,nnoted to the first-class inspectorship, vice Mr.
George Allen, deceased. The contract for the
paintings and alterations at Pembroke has been
obtained by Mr. George Thomas, the amount being
about. 7,0001. yearly.

THE MILITIA,
The Dumfaieshire Militia, on return from Alder-
s Lot, were disembodied at Dumfries on Saturday
last. The Aberdeensire Militia are on their way
froth Dublin to Aberd-en, where they will be.dis-
embodied forthwith. The Tyrone Militia, stationed '
ar, Hamilton and Paisley, are utader orders to re- ,
turn to Ireland for disembodiment, are to be suc-
cee led at klu-se two garrisons by the new battalion
of the 21st Fusiliers.