The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-27 00:00:00

EAST INDIES

Mr. WILSON moved for copies of a despatch from the
Governor-General of India, dated the 25th day of November,
1842, and of :he reports of Mr. Bird and Mr. Robertson,
upon the Settlement of the North-West Provinces inclosed
therein ; also of the despatch of tho court of directors,
dated the 13th day of August, 1851, in reply thereto.—
Agreed to. • ,
TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, SOMERSET HOUSE.

Mr LINDSAY called the attention of the First Lord of the
Admiralty_ to certain rides laid down by the Admira ty f r the
guidance of paldes having business to transact at the Trans-
port Departm nt, Somerset-house. Persons were obliged to
communicate with the department by means of writing. Such
a thing was wholly unusual, and was not adopted in any
other offices of business.
Sir J. PAEINGTON admitted that the regulation co n-
plained of had produced no little inconveuieuce, but he was
not aware of it until he saw the notice given on the subject
by the right hon. gentleman. The rules were the result of
the indiscriminate way in which, during the war, persons
were admitted into the clerk,' rooms in the transport depart-
ment, which led to great inconvenience. While he would
make certain alterations iu the rules objected, he could not
consent to an indiscriminate admission of persons iuto the
clerks' rooms, as to do so would be to perpetuate the incon-
venience which had been previously felt. There was another
regulation in connexion with theaccountant.general'a d part-
meat which had worked well, and would be continued. If
the hon. gentleman would communicate privately with him,
he would be glad to make such an arrangement as would get
rid of the objection to which he had referred.
THE CANAL ACROSS THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ.
Mr. GRIFFITH t eked the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
whether, in consideration of the possible faciliths ofcom-
munication with our ossessions ,in the East, and also of
the desire manifested for the execution of that scheme by
many continental nations, it is expedient, in the opinion
of her Majesty's Government, to offer opposition to the
project of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Suez ? Ho
did not a k from the Government' to assist this un 'ertaking.
All he desired was, that they should not object to it. If this
undertaking was carried out, they could gq to India in two-
thirds or half the time that they could do so now. -
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he regretted
that this question was asked on an occasi at when it was im-
possible 'to do justice to it. (Hear.) Had the sulj !et been
brought forward on a Wednesday morning it might have been
fully discussed and then, if necessary, adjourned. (A. laugh.)
The question was of importance, and it had twill aspects--a
scientific and a political aspect. With regard to the sc:eu-
tific aspect, he regretted the lion. 'member f r Whitby (Mr.
Stephenson) was not in the house, but with regard to this
canal, from the evidence before him, it appeared to be a most
'futile idea. It would involved A large ex: euditure of m ,ney,
and, after all, should the canal be made, the operations of
nature.wonid shortly render it useless for the objects contem-
plated. (ki.ar ) With retard to the political aspect of the
qtiestion, and whether it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to oppose all commercal operations in which political
mothei might become involved, he could only say, as a gene-
ral princii L, that he hoped never to oppose any commercial
scheme which was at all likely to be beneficial is the wer:d,
nut really the political considerations connected with this
contemplated project were so vague that -nothing could be
said than that they had no evldenc3 that it shou:ti be tile
pulley of the country to oppose any such undertaking. When
he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had evidence before him
that the scheme was practicable, it would be time enough to
think about the political aspect of the question ; but when
the evidence before him showed that it was impracticable he
con d only say that, at the utmost, they had not arrived at
[he ultimate and ulterior point to which the hon, gentleman
referred.

_
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE,
The motion for the adjournment of the house to Monday,
the 12th April, was then agreed to.
DIPLOMATIC SALARIES AND PENSIONS.

Mr. WISE-gave notice that on the 22(1 Of Arril he should

move that diplomatic salaries and pensions, now charged upon
the Consolidated Fund, be brought more immediately under
the co• trot of the house, and be aid oat of a vote annually
provided and appropriated by Par lament for that purpose.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS gave notice that on the 22d April he
would move a resolution that real property, dtc., should pay
the same property duty as personal property, die.
Sir J. TRELAWNY gave notice that after Easter he should
move that the receipt of money by a, y member of the house
in his legislative capacity was calculated to lower the dignity
of this house, and was a high breach of the privilege of the
house.