The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-06 00:00:00

COLLISIONS AT SEA.

Mr. HOLLAND asked the Vice-President of the Board
of Trade whether any alterations were contemplated in
the Rules of Road at Soa, with a view of avoiding the
constant collisions occurring under the present system.
Mr. CAVE said that collisions at sea did not arise so
much from misunderstanding as from neglect. Diagrams,
however, had been drawn up, which had been sent to the
proper tribunals for consideration. When they wero
sanctioned they would at once be issued, and thou he be-
lieved collisions would become of very rare occurrence.
ABYSSINIA.
Colonel SYKES asked the Secretary to the Treasury
whether the sum of :4,000 dollars in money and
the value of presents stated by Mr. Flad in his letter to
the Earl of Clarendon, no date, but received 10th .July,
18G5, and numbered 3..1, to have boon given to Mr. Con-
sul Cameron by King Theodore, had been credited to the
British Exchequer. And, whether the sum of 25,000 Ger-
ma t crowns, embraciug value in presents, stated by Mr.
Flal in tile sante letter to have been given to Mr. Thiamin
by King Theodore, had been credited to the British Ex-
ctiequ,r ; and, if not, whether any reports of the rece•pt of
these sums by Messrs. Cameron and RaSSalll had been
made to the Government.

Mr. HUNT said neither of the sums of money mentioned
had been credited to her Majesty's Exchequer. Mr. Ras-
sa.ni had informed the Foreign Office that he bad received
$lO,OOO, but $6,800 of them had been taken from him
when he was made prisoner. Mr. Cameron had received
presents from the King, thinking refusal would offend
him, but he had sent the persons in other parts of the
couutrylpresents, and not to England,

POOR LAWS.
Viscount ENFIELD asked the Secretary to the Poor
Law Board whether any representations froth Boards of
Guardians in the East of London relative to the distress
prevailing in that district had boon received by the Poor
Law Board ; and whether the attention of the Board had
been directed to the subject., and what is the latest infor-
mation they have received from that locality.
Mr. BOOTH said no direct communication had been :re-
ceived by Mr. Corbett, who was in constant communication
with the authorities of the Poplar district, where measures
had been taken to relieve the distress. He was sorry to
say the distress was reaching those who had not hitherto
received relief out of the rates, and to meet that the
guardians proposed to lend them the bedding and cloth-
ing. They had also added to the staff of relieving officers.
No relief committees had been formed, and ho hoped they
would not be required.
EAST INDIA IRRIGATION.
Mr. OTWAY asked the Secretary of State for India,
whether it was true that the East ludia Irrigation Com-
pany was compelled by the regulations in India to charge
for their supply of water only one-fifth of the price charged
by the Government for its supply; whether ho contem-
plated purchasing the rights and property of that com-
pany ; and, if so, from what source ho proposed to take the
sum necessary for the purchase; whether any negotiations
had been entered into with the chairman or other officers
of the company respecting the sum of £50,000, or any other
sum to be paid to them as compensation in thl event of the
purchase ; and whether it is his intention to obtain the
sanction of Parliament before completing their purchase ?
Sir S. NORTHCOTE said he was not prepared to ad-
mit the correctness of the first portion of the question.
The Government did contemplate purchasing the rights of
the company. Government had made an offer for the
whole of the works of the company, and the money for
that purchase would have to come from the revenues of
India, and the terms proposed were the full value of the
shares, and tE50,000 additional.
THE ABYSSINIAN PAPERS.
In reply to Mr. NEWDEGATE,
Lord STANLEY said ho (lid not see how ho could
refrain from giving the papers not included in the blue book.
They related, he thought, to a private dispute, not to say
quarrel. However, if it was the wish of both parties, ha
would offer no opposition to the production of
the papers, which ho personally thought would
have been better kept back. There were, however, some
papers respecting Dr. Doke and other parties now absent,
which he thought ought to be excepted.
Mr. LAYAItD said he must have the whole of the
papers, and if they were not prt duced he should have to
move for them.