The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-30 00:00:00

TIlELisl,

the moneye
nt ht eli nG oev
oy jatablish
e ra
anc (if they
divided the resources, they would have ue ither the
nennmt wunoiuclaatitv, e,to
one nor the other. He believed that if they
had the two routes, letters starting on the Ist
of the month by Panama would reach the colonies
at the same time as letters posted on the
16th would arrive by the Suez route. In con-
clusion he called upon all who preferred one efficient
line to two which would be comparatively useless,
to support the amendment which he Tro ,uld now
submit, to substitute for the 7th and 6th resolu-
tions the following :—" That whereas t 1 to Imperial
Government has not yet been able to perfect a
monthly service via Suez, this meeting: does not
deem it advisable to apply for a second service via
Panama, until a monthly communication by the
former route be satisfactorily established."
Mr. ASHURST seconded the amendment.
Lord A. CHURCHILL, Mr. FORLONGE, an d other
gentlemen, supported the amendment ; an d Capt.
TOWNE, of Sydney, spoke at considerable length in
favour of the Panama route, contending that the
contributions of the colonies would amount to-
gether to 130,0001., and the subsidy of the Govern-
ment of an equal sum would supply the -means, if
moderate-sized vessels were used, for carrying out

both routes.
Mr. E. WILSON said he should be glad to see both
lines established, and entertained great expectations
from the legitimate rivalry between two competing
companies, which would be the result of opening
up both lines. He believed the Government were
favourably disposed towards a fortnightly commu-
nication, and were awaiting with some interest the
result of the decision of the association. If the
two lines should be conceded, the relative propor-
tions of the subsidy to be paid would be easily settled
by each colony, and it was most objectionable to
be splitting straws when the great object was to go
before the Government with an unanimous expres-
sion of opinion. The colonies had been combining
together to obtain a good postal service, and he did
not see how New South Wales could expect an in-
dependent service of an effective kind ; and failing
bite concession of an independent service, in what
position would she be placed if she should hold
herself aloof and refuse to pay a subsidy? In de-
termining upon the best route the fact ought not to
be lost sight of that if vessels of sufficient capacity
were employed they might proceed at once from
Sing George's Sound to Aden, and thus establish
an efficient passenger communication. It was very
well to say that a postal service ought to be ob-
tained without reference to passenger traffic. It
certainly was not right to subsidise a passenger
line, but at the same time such a line ought not to
be made a stumbling-block in the way of passenger
traffic. If the boats were too small for general
passenger traffic, and the rates were rather high,
such a number of persons might be induced to go
by the mail packets that no other parties would
have a chance in the way of competition. (Hear,
hear.)
Mr. FITZGERALD quoted a letter from the cap-
tain of the Golden Age, showing that the Panama
route was shorter in time than that by Suez, and
that the passage was by means a dangerous one.
He also reminded the meeting that when the Ame-
rican telegraph was completed they would, if the
Panama line were adopted, bring the colonies
within 28 days of Londan by telegraphic commu-
nication.
Captain PA.RFITT was of opinion that the diffi-
culties of coaling in the Pacific would render it
necessary, if they adopted the Panama route, to
employ very large and expensive vessels. He be-
lieved that a fortnightly communication by Suez
might be carried out at the same cost as a monthly
communication by Panama.
Mr. W. ARCHER said it was well known that the
Panama route was not so quick as that by Suez,
and therefore, if a fortnightly communic tion was
established, the Suez route ought to be adopted.
The spot on the ocean ought to be selected where
the best terminus could be found for Australia ge-
nerally, without reference to any particular colony,
and in his opinion Melbourne was the most cen-
tral point for such purpose. But the communica-
tion with Melbourne might be considerably im-
proved, for a company was projected which would
perform the distance, by way of Suez, within 47
days, by means of larger steamers than were at pre-
sent employed. Besides, the electric telegraph
could be established from Suez to London with much
greater ease than from Sydney to Panama. Under
these circumstances he should not be disposed to
go before the Government with a recommendation
of the Panama route as the fortnightly route for
Australia.
Mr. YouL, in explanation, said the Government
had distinctly informed him that they were only
prepared to pay a subsidy for one route, and that
they did not see the necessity for any other, and
the merchants whom he had consulted were very
indifferent about the matter.
Mr. WILSON said that if the seventh and eighth
resolutions should be negatived altogether the sub-
ject of the fortnightly communication would be
ignored. As he did not think the association ought
to adopt that course he would move as an amend-
ment the retention of the words in the seventh
resolution down to the word " fortnightly," and
the omission of the remainder of that resolution,
and also the eighth resolution.
After some further discussion Mr. Wilson's
amendment was put and negatived by a majority
of one, the numbers in its favour being eight, and
against it nine.
The amendment of Mr. Youl was then put and
carried by a majority of 16 against six.
The remaining resolutions, as follows, were then
agreed to :
"That inasmuch as the steamers generally employed
have been found incapable of performing the voyage
within the specified time, the vessels to be employed in
such service should be of a size and power to secure a
speed of 10 knots with all reasonable certainty.
" That past experience having shown the impractica-
bility of performing so long a voyage as that between
Suez and Sydney and back in the same vessel, a chan-ie
of steamers at Point de Galle appears to be essential to
an effective service.
"That the rapidity with which the bottoms of iron
ships become fsnl in tropical seas necessitates the provi-
sion of slips or wet docks at Saul, or other suitable port,
for the removal of such growth at each trip, should iron
vessels be employed.
"That to secure the proper performance of any con-
tract it is necessary that the contractors should keep
reserve-ships to meet unforeseen accidents.
" That the lamentable and irritating failures to which
the Australian service has been continuously subjected
appear to have been in no slight degree attributable to
rf ee raeuni deferencet
eg
ei given r
eon
onee
owr associ
organisationti o ne, nf
oort
apossessed
.
tohfethdee
tant service •, and that, in ail futiro arrangements, due
weight should be attached to the claims of existing com-
panies of acknowledged character, experience, and
resources.
" That an entire suspension of steam communication,
such as has been usually consequent upon any change in
the contracts, appears but too probable in the present
case : bat that such suspension is deeply to be deprecated
as provocative of the greatest dismay and indi,gnation
throughout an important group of colonies, already
greatly irritated by perpetual failures.
" That in those reso.utious the conviction is ever kept
in view that postal communication is beyond all compa-
rison the chief consideration ; but the last few months
have shown that the passenger traffic almost necessarily
inseparable from a mail service is certain to be very large,
rapidly increasing, and highly remunerative to a properly
managed company ; and while acknowledging the pre-
eminent claims of mail communication, it is conceived
that such passenger traffic is well deserving of considera-
tion ; and that care should be taken to guard it from any
chance of subjection to a monopoly, perhaps tyrannical
and obstructive.
" That a committee, consisting of seven gentlemen
(to be elected by ballot), three to form a quorum, be ap-
pointed to further the views expressed in these resolu-
tions, to advertise in, the Times, if it be thought advis-
able, and to communicate with the leading men of the
several Australian colonies, to secure their co operation
in the establishment of an effective service."
After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the pro-
ceedings terminated.

THE TREATMENT OF LUNATICS AT

ACOMB-HOUSE RE ITEAT.

•
The statement of the cruelties practised towards
Mrs. Turner, wife of one of the official assignees of
the Liverpool Bankruptcy Court, as described be-
fore the Commissioners of Lunacy at York, has
been laid before the Lunacy Commissioners, who
have promptly directed an inquiry into the conduct
of Mr. Metcalfe, the keeper of Acomb-house.
The following letter has been received by the
solicitor of Mrs. Turner, from which it will be seen
that the investigation will commence this morning.
" Office of Commissioners in Lunacy,
19, Whitehall-place, July 28.
" The board have received your letter of yester-
day's date, describing the result of an investiga-
tion, under a commission of lunacy, into the state
of mind of Mrs. Maly Jane Turner, and in reply I
am directed to inform you that they have this day
(in pursuance of au intention communicated on
Monday last, the %Ili inst., to the foreman of the
. jury on the commission of lunacy) ordered an in-
qulry to be made into the special circumstances
disclosed in the course of the evidence, and into
the existing condition and management of Acomb-
heuse, in reference to the patients therein.
am to add that Mr. Lutwige and Mr. Wilkes, the
commissioners appointed, will proceed to York to-
morrow to conduct the proposed inquiry ; and have
the goodness to meet them at York attended by
your client, Mrs. Turner, as early as possible on
the morning of Friday, the 30th.—I am, sir, your
oberlient servant. "JOHN FOSTER, Secretary.
Pemberton, Esq., Solicitor,"
Mrs. Turner, accompanied by her solicitor, left
Liverpool yesterday afternoon for York.

LONDON,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS. --(CESTERDA.Y.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition against the
bill for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's
sister.
The Earl of fetINTO said it was against the rules of
the house to pr tseot petitions against any bill which
had been alrearly rejected.
Lord CAMPB ELL apologised for presenting the pe-
tition, but at the same time he must be allowed to ex-
press his satisfacl ;ion that the bill had not been read a
Becloud time.
ITNIVER.STTIES (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Upen the ord, it of the day being read for the conside-
ration of the Coi nmons' reasons for disagreeing to some
of the amendmer its made by the Lords to this bill,
The Duke of . MONTROSE regretted the Commons
objected to mar sy of the amendments that had been
made by their is rdships, but rather than lose the mea-
sure, which it w as so important should be passed this
session, he the tight upon the whole the best course
would be not to persist in those amendment..
After a few w ords from the Earl of Haddington, Lord
Campbell, and ti le Earl of Minto, the amendments were
withdrawn.

FRIENDLY ; SOCIETIES' ACT AMENDMENT

BILL.
This bill was i *ad a third time and passed.
GOVERNMEN T OF NEW CALEDONIA BILL.
This bill was r ad a third time and passed.
D. PAY BILL.

This bill passe d through committee, and was reported.
The Consolid: ed Fund Appropriation Bill passed
through commits e, and was reported, without amend-
ments.

The following :bills also passed through committee :
Militia (Services s Abroad), Militia Acts Continuance,
No. 2, Judgmt nits (Ireland) Act Continuance, and
Drafts on Bank ars Law Amendment.
CORRUPT P RACTICES PREVENTION BILL.

This bill havii iq passed through committee,
Lord E 131711-1, on the bringing up of the report,
moved the om ission of the clause which legalises

the payment of the travelling expenses of ;totem
The noble earl ( Haxdwicke) in explaining the object of
this bill the oth, sr night, said the object of this clause
was to enable p oor voters to exercise their right to vote
without incurrir ig loss in so doing, but on examining the
clause, be (Lord Ebury) did not find one word about
poor voters. T fie clause, if agreed to, would enable
every person vo ting at an election of a member of Par-
liament to claim his expenses, and the result would be
that enormous e zpanse would be entailed upon the can-
didate, and that which bad hitherto been looked upon as
bribery would r tceive the sanction of Parliament.
The Earl of 1 lARDWICKE said, the single object of
the bill was to r emedy the present unsettled state of the
law on this quet rtion of the carriage of voters. No one
knew exactly now what to do. The consequence was that
the greatest inecEnality and unfairness was produced in
election contests. It was for the advantage of all parties
that some strict defined rule should be laid down on
which all might act alike.
Lord STAN LEY of ALDERLEY entertained in-
superable objections to this clause, and if it passed thr,
bill ought to be called a measure for the " promotion,"
not the " preveintion," of corrupt practices. It would
open the door to all sorts of corruption and bribery and
would give the advantage in every case to the wealthiest
condidat. He recommended that the question should
be deferred until it could be dealt with in the large mea-
sure of Parliamentary Reform which the Government
bad uneertaken to introduce next s,ssion,
The Earl of WICKLOW thought that the question
ought to be decided whether or not a voter could be
legally culled to the poll. The object was either to
bring the poll to every voter, or every voter to the poll.
The former proposition was not practicable, and there-

fore he supported the clause.
Lord CAMPBELL complained of the late period of
the session at which so important a measure had been
brought before their lordships. It was read a second
time, he believed, on the very day fixed by the noble
lord the Chairman of Committees as the last day on
which their lordships would read any bill a second time,
and therefore, if not contrary to the letter, it was con-
trary to the spirit of the noble lord's resolution. Ar-
guments might be urged on both sides of the question,
and he was not prepared to give any positive opinion
upon them. It was very important that the honest and
poor voter should exercise the franchise ; but to give
him facilities might open the door to bribery and cor-
ruption. Instead of removing doubts in the law the
clause would give rise to many difficult questions. The
necessity for legislation was not urgent, and it had
been annoucced in the other house that a Reform
Bill was to be introduced next session, when the
whole subject would be discussed. It was impos,ible to
doubt that the clause would add greatly to the expense
of elections. Non-resident electors would be brought
from remote parts of the country, from the continent,
and possibly from Australia. The expenses not being
payable to the voter himself could only be paid by an
agent, and a special messenger might be sent to accom-
pany each non-resident voter. Then would arise the
question which he bad no doubt would soon be discussed
in Westminster-ball, whether conveyance did not include
refreshment and cisnveyance back again—whether all
the consequences of what was enacted were not enacted.
Those were specimens of the questions which would
arise, and as no evil could result from postponement he
entreated their lordships not to agree to the clause.
Lord REDESDALE reminded their lordships that
the Corrupt Practices Act of 1854 came up after the day
fixed as the last day on which they would read a bill a
second time, and was read a second time as a bill of ur-
gency. Tnis bill had received the approval of Lord Pal-
merston and Lord John Russell, and he thought they
were justified in acceding to a proposition which came
to them with such authority, and which peculiarly af-
fected the privileges of the other house.
Earl GRA.NVILLE said there was this very essential
difference between the dates of reading this bill and the
bill of 1854 a Becloud time. In this case, the last day on
which they would read bills a second time happened to
be fixed five days before the end of the session, and in
1854 it was 18 days before the end of the session. He
did not think that too much stress ought to be laid upon
the supposed acquiescence of Lord Palmerston and Lord
J. Russell in this clause, because the former noble lord
distinctly stated that there were arguments on both
sides, and Lord J. Russell expressed a strong opinion
that this ought to be merely a continuance bill. He
concurred with the noble and learned lord in his objec-
tion to the period at which their lordships were called
upon to pass a measure which was only read
a second time on Tuesday at the tail of twenty-eight
other orders of the day. Lord Lyndhurst thought
the bill in its present shape so objectionable that he bad
authorised him to obtain a pair for him against the claws,
if their lord,hipo should divide upoa it. (Hear.) When
their lordships remembered that the Secrerary of State
had expressed au opinion that this bill ought to be re-
mtomibtrtieneg, ainndatgbaenteitrawlas
measuretheinteinnttiohne
of efrtrhe de tGooav
es
re
nl emc teen ,t
early part of next session, there could be no pretext for
hurrying their lordships into the adoption of a premature
and ill-considered alteration of the law. He had, there
fore, great pleasure in supporting the motion of his noble
friend.

Their lordships then divided—
Contents
Non-Contents
Majority for the clause
The report was then received.
JUDGMENTS (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT
BILL.

. 43
.. 23

This bill, with amendments, went through committee.
DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT
AMENDMENT BILL.

The Commons' amendments to this bill were consi-
dered.
Lord REDESDALE proposed that clause 5, enabling
persons abroad to institute proceedings, which had been
struck out by the Commons, should be restored. He had
no wish to take any step which might endanger the bill;
but he thought the Commons should have an opportunity
of reconsidering their decision.
After a few words from Lord CIIANWORTH,
The Commons' amendment was disagreed with, and
the clause restored to the bill.
Clause A, sent up from the Com Mons, was agreed to
with an amendment by their lordships ; and the other
Commons' amendments were also agreed to.
PROBATE AND LETTERS OF ADMINISTRA-
TION ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
The Commons' amendments in this bill were agreed to,