The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-22 00:00:00

THE PRISONERS IN ABYSSINIA.

Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE said that he
would ask the noble lord at the head of her Majesty's
Government what was the condition, and what steps bad
been taken in the matter relative to the prisoners who
were in the dungeons of King Theodore. Ile would
quote from a work well known, in which Captain
Spoke, a gentleman who becu 10 years in those dis-
trictP, says that Mr. Cameron, her Majesty's consul in
Abyssinia had, with other captives, been kept three years
in confinement by King Theodore. He thought that the
attention of the Houses of Parliament ought to bo called
to the question, and as it was a national question, where
the honour and integrity of the country was concerned, it
should be taken up by her Majesty's Government.
We ought to vindicate the honour of the na-
tion by inquiring into every point connected with so
iniquitous a matter. What he would ask was—what are
the number, condition, and quality of the British subjects
confined in Abyssinia, and what steps had been taken in
the matter by her Majesty's Government, and whether
any stops had been taken, and whether it was their in-
tention to take any steps in the matter ?
Lord DERBY said that anticipating the question of the
noble lord, he had made the fullest inquiries at the Foreign
Office. The number of captives altogether was 18, and
communications had been continually addressed to the
Emperor of Abyssinia. A letter had been sent out to the
Emperor, to which, although they knew it had been re-
ceived, no answer had arrived. With regard to all the
papers, they should be happy to give the house all the in-
formation on the subject.
Lord STRATFORD DE REDOLIFFE asked whether
the prisoners were still in chains?
Lord DERBY said he could not answer that, but the
last information was that they were not.
THE COMMISSION ON RITUALISM.

The ARCHBISHOP OF YORK said that he objected
to certain persons whose names were placed on the Ritual-
istic Commission. Several prominent gentlemen who
appeared upon it had pledged themselves to one side or the
other. There wore two gentlemen who had written on
the question from opposite points of view. He
should therefore on these grounds object to them serving
on the Commission.

The subject then dropped.
THE INCREASE OF THE EPISCOPATE BILL.
On the moving of the third reading of this bill,
Lord SHAFTESBURY stated that whoever might
object to any increase in the Episcopate, no one
could deny the great spiritual destitution in Eng-
land and Ireland. He found that in the diocese of
Rochester there were 601 benefices, many of which were
without residence, and 181 under £2OO. The late inde-
fatigable Bishop of London had stated that he wanted 20
more clergymen for parochial assistance. If aid
was not given to supply the spiritual and
moral wants of the people, if nothing was done

by the new Reform Bill to alleviate this want, he (the
noble earl) would not give 25 years for the existence
of the British empire. Ho had no objection to the in-
crease of the number of bishops, but the amount required
for the creation of three bishops would be not less to
maintain their property than £200,000. The spiritual
wants of the people ought to be the first consideration of
the house.

- The Bishop of OXFORD said that this was one of the
most important questions that could come before the house.
He could not, however, agree with the noble lord's figures
at all. Now it was a fact that out of the episcopal fund
the bishops had been giving ,E 150,009 a year to small
livings. He did not wish that there should be an
addition of the bishops fur the sake of the prelates
themselves, but, in the words of the noble earl
opposite, their appointment was to strengthen and inspirit
the clergy in the country. The sum mentioned by the
noble lord opposite would go but very little towards re-
lieving the spiritual wants of the country. He thought
that the clause relating to the common fund should be left
out altogether, and the matter left entirely to Parliament.
The amendment was supported by Lord Eversley and
the Earl of Harrowby, and opposed by the Archbishop of
York, the Earl of Derby, and the Duke of Marlborough,
and on a division was rejected by 82 to 73.
Earl GREY moved to add a clause authorising the ap-
pointment of suffragan bishops, but the clause was rejected
by 72 to 3.3.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
Lord CRAN WORTH presented a petition complaining
of the operation of the Irish Salmon Fishery Act and laid
on the table a bill to meet the case, and after some discus-
sion the bill was read a first time.
On the motion of the Earl of S lIAFTESBURY a select
committee was appointed to consider the expediency of the
house meeting at 4 o'clock, and what further changes may
be desirable for the better transaction of the business of the
house.
' ' '

Several bills were advanced a stage, and the house ni
journed at 20 minutes past 8.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. —LAST EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 2 o'clock.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL.

The house wont into committee on this bill.

On clause 31,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that

he proposed to insert in the clause the names of the gentle-
men proposed as Boundary Commissioners, viz., Lord
Eversley, Lord Penrhyn, Mr. Walter, Mr. Bouverie, Mr.