The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 20, 1866.

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but the Lord Bishop of London had appointed to-
morrow to be observed in his diocese as a day
of humiliation, but he did not see how that would inter-
fere with the meeting of election committees ; and as he
looked upon the proposal of the Government as a prece-
d6nt, he should feel it to bo his duty to divide the house
on the question.
A desultory discussion followed upon the question whe-
ther the election committees should meet at one o'clock or
eleven to-morrow.
The house divided on the question that the committees
meet at one o'clock.

Ayes
Noes

259
112
-1 i 7

Majority
The committees were then ordered to meet at one
o'clock.)

PARLIAMENTARY OATHS MIL.

On the motion forthe third reading of the Parliamentary
Oaths Amendment Bill,
Mr. NEWDEGATE deprecated further progress being
made with the bill, seeing that really full discussion had
taken place upon it, nor could he bring himself to think
that the house was at all aware of the magnitude and im-
port•tnco of the question.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL reiterated the arguments
which he had used on the previous stages of the measure,
maintaining that obedience to the Throne and recognition
of its supremacy depended not on any oath, but on its
practical exemplification in the laws of the land.
After a few words from Mr. KERR, the bill was read a
third time and passed.
On the motion for going into Committee of Supply,
Mr. O'REILLY drew attention to the present mode of
conducting the relief of troops stationed in India.
The Marquis of HARTINGTON promised that the
matter should receive the attention of the War-office.
THE LOSS OF THE LONDON.

Sir J. PAKINGTON alluded to the recent lamentable
loss of the steamship London, and especially to the manner
in which the inquiry into the cause of the calamity was
conducted. He expressed his opinion that the tribunal at
Greenwich was a mockery and a delusion. It was really,
as regarded the great question which interested the public
—the cause of the unfortunate event- utterly futile, and
seemed only to have been conducted with a view to in-
demnify the owners of the vessel from blame. It should

have been an' investigation for the public good, instead of
ono which, he must say, was turned to a very different ac-
count. The evidence was nearly wholly confined to persons
connected with the builders, the owners, and the Board of
Trade officials who had passed the vessel, and who it was
not likely would come forward to stultify themselves. In
addition to this, the question put by a barrister, who was
retained by the friends of some of the deceased, were dis-
allowed, or only allowed to be put through the assessors
and the magistrate, thus reaching the witness in their own
words instead of those of the counsel, who felt himself at
last compelled to relinquish any further participation in the
matter. What, then, he asked, was the value of the in-
vestigation, in whatever way it was considered? He
desired to know if it was the intention of the Government
to amend the Merchant Shipping Act ?
Mr. M. GIBSON could not agree with Sir J. Pakington
in his idea that all such inquiries as the one alluded to
were a mere affair of routine. He pointed out that all ships
like the London passed the surveyors of the Board of
Trade, the functionaries of Lloyd's in the interest of the
underwriters, and lastly the emigration surveyors. For
his own part, ho did not think that these officials had in
the present case failed in their duty, nor could ho think it
_ _

was possible by any system of Government inspection to
make absolute provision for the security of any vessel.
Such investigations had in their composition none of the
elements of a prosecution ; they were only meant, as ori-
ginated by the late Mr. Hume, to discover the cause of the
loss of the vessel. It was not the intention of the Govern-
ment to make any hasty change in the law on this and the
kindred subject. Tho whole matter was under cargful con-
sideration, and a measure would shortly te laid on the
table. Ho would not, however, admit that there had been
any substantial failure of justice on the present occasion.
Mr. HENLEY expressed his satisfaction with the an-
nouncement of Mr. Gibson in relation to the existing law.
He was convinced that it was impossible to have a court
of inquiry and trial in one, conducted upon principles that
would be either satisfactory to those who wore interested,
or calculated to do justice to those perhaps criminally con-
cerned. He confessed that his own impression from read-
ing the evidence as given in the newspapers was simply a
whitewashing affair. Ho also expressed an opinion that
these preliminary surveys—imperfectly as they were at
present carried out—were calculated to increase rather than
diminish the number of calamities, by lowering the personal
responsibilities of owners.

Mr. SAMUDA, looking at the steamer London from a
shipbuilding point of view, stated that her proportions
were not in any way liable to censure, from the fact that
her length was seven times her breadth. The vessel in
question was built on nearly the same lines as thoso which
all the ocean-going steam companies had found most sue-
cessful for their use during a long courso of years. He
was not of opinion that excessive Government interference
in reference to the mercantile marine must necessarily be
proth.ootioo of good result,, and expressed en opinion in
favour of counsel being allowed to cross-examine witnesses
at Board of Trade inquiries.

Mr. MAGUIRE also stated his view that the general
feeling was that the recent inquiry was a sham and a delu-
sion—a sort of buffer to prevent any collision which might
prove unpleasant to the owners of the ship. If there were
some constituted authority to try such cases as others were
tried, a slight security would be given to the public that
their lives would not be quite lightly treated.
After some remarks from Mr. Weguelin, Mr. O'Beirne,
Mr. Ayrton, and Mr. A. Grant, the topic was allowed to
drop.

The house then went into Committee of Supply on the
Navy Estimates. .

On the vote of £12,656 for the half-pay and reserve half-
pay of flag officers, to be placed on the retired list, a long
discussion ensued on the proposal to extend the system of
compulsory retirement to officers of this rank.
On a division, the vote was carried by 88 to 70 votes.
Progress was then reported, and the house resumed.
On the order of the day for the second reading of the
Court of Chancery (Ireland) Bill,
Sir FITZROY KELLY objected to proceeding with the
measure, containing more than 100 clauses, at so late an
hour (ten minutes to 12 o'clock). lie moved the adjourn-
ment of the debate.

On a division, the motion was negatived by 99 to 55

votes.

Lord C. HAMILTON denounced the bill as a job, and
solely intended to create places. lie moved the adjourn-
ment of the debate.

Mr. LAWSON (the Attorney-General for Ireland) vin-
dicated the bill from any such imputations, stating that its
introduction was the result of the report of a Royal Com-
mission composed of eminent men whose names he read.
Its principle was very simple, and ho protested against
these attempts to delay its progress.

Mr. WIIITESIDE also deprecated proceeding with a
measure involving such enormous interests at so late an
hour.

Mr. SULLIVAN (the Solicitor-General for Ireland) de-
fended the principle of the bill, and denied that there was
any semblance of jobbery in the matter.
After some discussion the second reading was postponed
till Wednesday, and the motion for the adjournment of the
house was withdrawn,
A number of bills were advanced a stage, and the house
adjourned.

HEALTH OF TIIE SPEAKER.--The health of the
Speaker, we regret to say, does not improve. From
inquiries made yesterday it appears that the right hon.
gentleman had a quiet day on Sunday, and passed a good
night, but that it cannot be said that he was better than
on Saturday. He is very weak, and has been recommended
a visit to the sea-side. He will go either to Brighton or
Hastings. Ho is attended daily by Sir William Ferguson,
his medical attendant.

MEETING OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.—On
Friday afternoon there was a numerous meeting of
the Conservative members of the House of Commons at
the Marquis of Salisbury's residence in Arlington-street,
Piccadilly. The members began to assemble at 2 o'clock,
shortly after which hour Mr. Disraeli joined his political
friends. The Earl of Derby, owing to an attack of gout from
which he has been suffering during the past week, was
unable to attend. 'ln consequence of his lordship's absence
Mr. Disraeli addressed the meeting. His remarks were
enthusiastically received, and it was agreed that the Re-
form Bill should bo opposed. Upwards of 200 members
were present.—The Homing Ilerald says tho Times pub-
lished yesterday a list of the members who attended the
Conservative meeting at the Marquis of Salisbury's on
Friday last. It includes a member of the Government and
a score of Liberals, and is absurdly inaccurate. The Pall
Mall Gazette contradicts our statement as to what took
place; but, as it tells us that the meeting was pledged to
secrecy, and that therefore it could not know what did
happen, wo do not exactly see the value of its contradic-
tion. - The Daily News says a list was published yesterday
in the Times, purporting to give the names of the Conser-
vative party who were present at the meeting lately held
at Lord Salisbury's. Without inquiring into the origin of

the list, we may point out that it is manifestly inaccurate,
containing as it does the names of more than a score of
sound Liberals. Gentlemen who have written to us to
deny their presence at the meeting—although the list was
excluded from our columns—will ploaso to accept this
general statement in lieu of the insertion of their notes.

CONVICTION FOR MURDER.—There was a convic-

tion for murder at the Manchester assizes on Satur-
day. The prisoner was James M'Manus, twenty-one
years of age, who had stabbed a youth of eighteen, named
Thomas Dowel, in Rochdale-road, on Christmas Eve. The
prisoner is said to have been intoxicated at the time when
he struck Dowd with a knife, but from the evidence it
would appear that he had had very slight provocation from
his opponent, (Lad that ho was not known to him. Poor
Dowd died a few minutes after he was struck. M'Manus
was sentenced to death, and wept bitterly on receiving
sentence. The jury recommended him to mercy on ac-
count of his youth, and the judge said that he would un-
dertake to send their request to the proper quarter.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before Sir J. P. Wilde.)
HYDE T. HYDE AND WOODMANSEE.-JUDGMENT IS THE

MORMON CASE.

This was a petition by the husband for a dissolution of
marriage with the respondent, and was an undefended suit.
Tho case was tried before this court about a month ago,
and it was then proved that the petitioner had been origi-
nally a member of the sect of Mormons, and that his mar-
riage, which took place in Utah, in the United States of
America, was solemnised according to the rites of the Mor-
monites, but that, having become a convert to Pro-
testantism, ho was divorced, and his wife had since been
cohabiting with another man, a practice permitted under
the rules of this extraordinary sect. Tho court deferred
judgment, considering the novelty of the case, and the
important question involved as to whether, under such cir-
cumstances, it could interfere.

Sir J. P. Wilde delivered a very able and learned judg-
ment this morning. Having referred to the principal facts
of the case as developed at the trial, he said that the
only question upon which he took time to consider
his decision was whether in the present instance, accDrd-
ing to principle or precedent, the court had an) jurisdiction.
Before redress could be afforded to a petitioner seeking to
dissolve marriage, it must be established to the satisfac-
tion of the court ; it must be proved that there was a mar-
riage, such as the court could recognise. According to the
laws and practices of Christendom, by which the court could
allow the regulated marriage was to be regarded as an in-
stitution, and conferred a certain status on the parties.
Now that was not the case in polygaminous marriages,
where the wife was placed in an entirely different position
to what she occupied under the usage of Christian coun-
tries. Here, under the matrimonial law, the wife could
obtain redress for the grievances of which she complained,
and could be divorced. She could also claim alimony to
the extent of one-third of her husband's income, and she
had other privileges which it was evident she could not -
enjoy in a polygamous state. Having cited the authority
of Lord Brougham in the celebrated case of Warrenden v.
Warrenden, and other eminent jurists, he said that he had
carefully considered the case, and arrived at the con-
clusion that he had no jurisdiction. In dismiss-
ing the petition, ho said he was not to bo under-
stood as dealing with any other question than than
of divorce, for right of property and other matters of that
description might arise, and the Court would have to deal
with them on different principles to those applied to the
question of divorce.

COURT 01? BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Winslow.)
IN RE SIR JOHN BENSON, KNT.

This bankrupt was described as of 8, Cecil-street, Strand,
civil engineer, and to• day was appointed for the last exa-
mination and order of discharge.
The debts are £27,055, of which £26,045 are liabilities
in connection with the Cork and Kinsale Junction Rail-
way. The assets aro only £459, and the deficiency £26,595.
The prilicipal creditors aro W. Bainbridge, of the Tees
Paper Mills, £13,000, and he holds the joint promissory
notes of the bankrupt, Lord Kinsale, and others; A. Dixon,
Birmingham, £6,095: Financial Corporation, £4,350;
Joint Stock Discount Company, £2,000; Warrant Finance
Company, £2,000, and others ; the creditors being pro-
tected generally by joint promissory notes, signed by Lord
Kinsale, Sir P. C. Roney, and other gentlemen. It was
understood that the case would be adjourned, but an
arrangement is anticipated as regards the liabilities in con-
nection with the railway company.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROTJGH-STREET.

A RUFFIAN.-Philip Crowley, a rough fellow, residing
in, Church-street, St. Giles's, was charged before Mr.
Tyrwhitt with assaulting the police.

Dickinson, 123 C, said that he was requested by a gen-
tleman to remove the prisoner, who was asleep, from his
door, when the prisoner became very violent, and kicked
him and struck him.

311 S proved assisting the last witness and being struck
by the prisoner.

Sergeant Ingerson, 6 E, said that on going to the assist-
ance of the constable the prisoner went quietly a short
distance, and then threw him, and it required five con-
stables to get him to the station.

The prisoner said he had been drinking, and whenever
ho took any drink it flow to his head.
Mr. Tyrwhitt committed the prisoner for 14 days with
hard labour.