The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-02 00:00:00

BELGIANS.

The Earl of DERBY laid on the table of the house a
statement with regard to the funds vested in the trustees
of his late Majesty, the King of the Belgians ; and asked
her Majesty's Government how soon the trustees would
be relieved from their responsibility in connection
therewith ? The noble lord said that, as one of the
trustees, he was desirous to render a satisfactory
account of their stewardship, in the course of which they
had to deal with no less than £2,500,P00. At the time of
the marriage of the late King of the Belgians with the
Princess Charlotte Parliament granted them £60,000 a-
year, which was to be reduced to £50,000 a-year to his Ma-
jesty in the event of her death. His Majesty surrendered this
amount into the hands of trustees, subject to certain charges
after defraying which the balance was to go into the na-
tional exchequer, and none of which his late Majesty had
received. The noble earl then went into different details
explanatory of the disbursement of the funds placed at the
disposal of the trustees.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS-THIS EVENING.

The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
GREENWICH AND WOOLWICH LOWER ROAD

BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. LOCKE moved as an amendment that the bill
should be read a second time that day six months. He said
the turnpikes, speaking generally, had on the south side of
the metropolis been abolished at a great cost of taxation to
his constituents, and because a debt still remained unli-
quidated the trustees of this trust came to Parliament and
asked for a prolongation of their trust for six years.
Mr. LAYARD hoped the house would agree to his hon.
colleague's amendment.
Mr. BRUCE thought the bill ought to be allowed to
pass its second reading. It would be inadvisable to
adopt ti•e recommendation of the hon. member for
Southwark, especially as a portion of the debt belongs to
Greenwich Hospital.
The bill was read a second time without a division.
IRISH FISHERY PIERS.
Sir H. W. BARRON asked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer if he proposed to replenish the exhausted fund for
making fishery piers.
Mr. CHILDERS said there had been about £90,000
voted for these piers, and as it was nearly all exhausted,
he was about to propose an additional vote, but there
being an Act of George the Third, by which it was
thought t,,,000 per annum ought to be set aside for the pur-
pose referred to by the right hon. gentleman. The opinion
of the law officers of the Crown had been asked on the
matter. In the event of the opinion being against the
£5,000 being paid, then he shAuld ask the house to agree
to a limited vote of money for making the piers.
Mr. ROEBUCK asked if any piers at all had actually
been built out of the £90,000 which had been expended.
Mr. CHILDERS said he believed so. (Loud laughter.)
PARLIAMENTARY OATHS BILL.
Sir G. GREY said he proposed to take the second read-
ing of this bill on Thursday evening next as the first order
of the day.
RATING OF MINES AND WOODS.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Mr. S. CAVE asked the President of the Poor-law Board
whether ho intended to bring in a bill during the present
session for the rating of mines and woods to the relief of
the poor ?
Mr. KEKEWICH also asked the President of the Poor-
law Board whether he proposed, during the present ses-
sion, to bring in a bill for the purpose of rating woods to
the relief of the poor, and any general measure for the
amendment of the poor law, founded on the report of the
select committee presented during last session.
Mr. VILLIERS expressed his opinion that both mines
and woods were rateable, but as there might be a strong
opposition to any legislature, ho proposed to pursue the
same course as had been followed in the case of the Mersey
Docks. He intended, however, to bring in a general
measure for the amendment of the Poor-law.
PRIVATE PROPERTY AT SEA.

Mr. GREGORY rose to move that an humble address
be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be gra-
ciously pleased to use her influence with foreign Powers
for the purpose of making the principle that private pro-
perty should be free from capture by sea a maxim of in-
ternational maritime law.

LLEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.
THE DEVONPORT ELECTION PETITION.

On the order for going into committee of supply,

Sir J. PAKINGTON rose, and having remarked that he
had hoped the days for political scandal were at an end,
and expressed his regret at finding that it was not so, drew
attention to the manner in which certain dockyard work-
men, who wore voters for the borough of Devonport, had
been examined with reference to their intended evidence
before the election committee for that borough. It appeared
that a telegram had been sent down to the admiral super
intendent from the Admiralty on the 20th of Feb-
ruary, directing that every facility should be given for
serving Speaker's warrants on workmen in the yard, in the
case of a petition against the sitting members for Devonport.
In consequence of the receipt of this telegram 30 or 40 men
were summoned to attend the sale-rocm, which was used
as a police-office, and were there subjected to examination
and cross-examination singly and separately with the view
of eliminating themselves, and then served with the war-
rant. Subsequently, 15 or 20 more were summoned and
treated in the same manner, and the proceeding was re-
newed on following days. On these occasions the only
persons present besides the workmen were a policeman, the
town crier, who was a leading politician, an attorney, who
was solicitor for the petitioners, and a gentleman not known
to the parties, but who was believed to be an agent to the
petitioners sent down from London. Such proceedings
were calculated to intimidate and alarm the men, and were
most unjustifiable. He called upon the Secretary to the
Admiralty, therefore, publicly to declare whether these
statements were correct or not, and to explain circum-
stances which, on their first aspect, had the appearance of
great impropriety and injustice.
Lord 0. PAGET said that all the Admiralty had done
was, upon the application of Messrs. Travers and Co., of
43, Parliament-street, the agents for the petitioners, to give
facilities simply for the service of the Speaker's warrant,
and upon their representation that it would be an inconve-
nience and annoyance to the mon to do so at their houses,
and their request that their chief clerk should see the men
during their hours of work for that purpose. A letter to
the same effect was also forwarded to the admiral superin-
tendent, signed on behalf of "their lordships," by Mr. W.
G. Romaine. The warrant of the Speaker had access to
all the public departments, and all the admiral superin-
tendent could do was either to allow the bearer of the
warrant to visit the workshops and disturb the men in the
midst of their work, or he might order them to assemble
together to be served, and the latter was the course which
had been adopted.
Lord CRANBORNE contended that the explanation of
the noble lord was not satisfactory, and that the proceed-
ings which had been resorted to were a distinct interfer-
ence with the men with the view of upsetting the election
of the sitting members. Supposing this case had been
passed over unnoticed by the house, and a petition pre-
sented ;against the return for Portsmouth, did the noble
lord imagine that if such a telegram were sent down to
that borough , the admiral superintendent would have
ordered the electors in the dockyard there to assemble in a
quiet corner of the yard, and be cross-examined by a Con-
servative attorney's clerk ?
Lord C. PAGET, amidst cries of " Oh," and loud laugh-
ter, declared upon his honour that the same course would
be adopted.
Mr. LOWE observed that the men must have necessarily
felt, whether rightly or wrongly, that they were in duress
and therefore they ought not to have been subjected to
such an examination. It appeared to him, however, that
all that was authorised by the Admiralty was to allow the
serving of the warrant in the yard, as being more conve-
nient than serving the men at their own houses. Because
the authority given by the Admiralty had in some degree
been abused he did not see that there was any charge
against the nobleman who had presided over that depart-
ment with honour and credit for the last seven years.

Sir H. 31. CAIRNS argued that all the agent need have
done was to leave the warrant at the voters' houses.

After a few words from the SOLICITOR-GENERAL,
Mr. WALPOLE said he admitted that no minister of the
Crown had ever conducted himself more ably or honestly
than the Duke of Somerset; but the question at issue was
not the conduct of the Admiralty, but whether, having re-
gard to perfect freedom of election, any undue and impro-
per influence had been exercised over the electors under
the guise of the Speaker's warrant, which might have been
served at their houses, and not taken into the dockyard at
all. His opinion was that there was great impropriety in
the agent making the application in the first instance, and
that the explanation of Lord C. Paget ought not to be
satisfactory to the house.
In =Aver to Colonel NORTH,

-- ---
The SPEAKER stated that all his warrant did was to
command the attendance of a witness before a select
committee.

HORSMAN inquired whether the Admiralty had

given authority to take any proceedings whatever beyond
that of serving the warrant ?
Lord C. PAGET replied that the only authority given
by the Admiralty was to serve the Speaker's warrants, and
they knew nothing farther of what had taken place until
Sir J,Pakington's statement of that evening.
Lord HOTHAM could not believe, if the First Lord had
foreseen the use that would be made of his permission, that
he would for a single moment have listened to the appli-
cation of the agents. It did not require the present dis-
cussion to show that workmen in the Government dock-
yards ought not to have votes, and he should be surprised
after this, if the noble lord was not instructed by the Firs
Lord to declare that these proceedings had not only been
taken without the knowledge of the Duke of Somerset,
but met his entire disapproval.
Lord It. MONTAGU thought such proceedings were no
more than might be expected from a Government that was
tottering to its fall.

Captain VIVIAN defended the admiral superintendents
from being influeeced by improper motives.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER considered
it to be the duty of every public department to give facili-
ties for serving the Speaker's warrant; but he admitted
that the assembling of the men together in this case was
proceeding that savoured of interference ; and ho did not
hesitate to say that it was much to be lamented. He pro
mised that a strict inquiry should be instituted into the
circumstances, and orders would be given to prevent the
recurrence of such an irregularity.
Mr. DISRAELI observed that the question was whether
the house approved of these proceedings, and elicited a
hearty cheer when he added that he took it for granted
that there was not a gentleman on either side that ap-
proved of them. It was not correct to say that this was an
act of insulated indiscretion by an attorney's clerk, in a
moment of excitement, asking questions that he was not
justified in putting ; for the examination was prolonged,
the average in the case of each voter being from one and a
half to two hours. There could be no doubt that the
Speaker's warrant was issued to fish up evidence for an
election petition, and the proceeding was altogether open
to very grave suspicion.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL said the Government
disapproved as much as any member of the house the abuse
which had taken place.
Lord J. MANNERS protested against converting the
Government dockyards into a "political shambles ;" and
Mr. SELWYN was of opinion that no one could read
the agent's letter without seeing that somethingmore than
the service of a warrant was intended.
The subject then dropped.
The other questions discussed on the order for supply
were the experiments made as to the cure of the cattle
plague and the grievances of the masters of the navy ; the
former of which was raised by Mr. SANDFORD and the
latter by Sir LAWRENCE PALK.
The house then went into committee of supply, and pro-
ceeded with the consideration of the navy estimates. In
the course of debate Sir M. Peto expressed a hope that the
Government would yet give Captain Cowper Coles a fair
opportunity of constructing a ship of war upon his turret
principle ; and Mr. Ferrand criticised the conduct of the
Admiralty in not accepting the apology which Capt. Coles
had are] ed them. This remark called up
Lord C. PAGET, who stated that as soon as Capt. C.
Coles made a proper apology the Admiralty reinstated him.
A loud and general cheer was evoked by the announce-
ment; and Mr. Ferrand, after remarking how glad he was
to hear it, expressed a hope that Mr. Reed, the Constructor
of the Navy, would also. apologise for the observations con-
tained in one of his speeches.
Various other topics affecting the naval service were
passed under review, including the building of ironclads
and the manning of the fleet.
Lord C. PAGET defended the policy pursued by the
Admiralty, and contended that the ships they were turning
out were in seagoing qualities, general safety, and speed
far superior to those which wore built for foreign govern-
ments in English private yards.
Lord ELCHO drew attention to a paragraph in a letter,
signed by a person with an unpronounceable name, which
had appeared lately in a morningpaper, containing a charge
against 12 men of her Majesty's ship Wolverine of having
for a series of days subjected a female class leader in Ja-
maica to the most brutal outrages. He wished to know
whether the Admiralty had received any information con-
firmatory of the truth of the statement?
Lord C. PAGET replied that no information of the sort
had reached the Admiralty, and he believed it to be a base
falsehoOd. Full inquiry should be made, and if any such
occurrence had taken place he trusted that the guilty par_
ties would meet with condign punishment ; but if it wore a
false and wicked accusation be hoped its authors would be
visited with public reprobation.
Eventually the vote of 68,450 seamen and marines for
the navy was agreed to, as were also several votes of
money for the effective and non-effective services.
On the house resuming, the Cattle Diseases (Ireland)
Bill was read a third time and passed ; and the other busi-
ness on the paper having been disposed of, the house ad-
journed at 10 minutes,past one o'clock.

LONDON GAZETTE—This Eveuing.

FOREIGN OFFICE, FEB. 20.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint James
Reginald Graham, Esq., to be her Majesty's Consul for the
Balearic Islands.
MARCH 2.

The Queen has been pleased to approve of M. Pierre
Joseph Franlois Paul do Laya as Consul at Malta for his
Majesty the Emperor of the French.

WHITEHALL, FEB. 28.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Right Hon.
George William Fox, Lord Kinnaird, K.T., to bo Lieu-
tenant and Sheriff Principal of the shire of Perth, in the
room o‘Thomas Robert, Earl of Kinnoull, deceased.

ItARCII 1.

The Queen has been pleased to present the Rev. Robert
Hall Baynes, 8.A., to the vicarage of St. Michael, in the
city of Coventry and diocese of Worcester, void by the
ceb.-:lon of the Rev. Ashby Blair Haslewood, B.A.

CROWN-OFFICE, FEB. 28.
MEmmul ~.ETURNED TO PARLIAMENT.—Borough Of
Brecknock, the EaL:2 of Brecknock; Northern Division of
Lancaster, the Marquis of Hartington ; Borough of Sun-
derland, John Candlish.

WAR-OFFICE, PALL-111M,, MARCH 2.
sth Regiment of Dragoon Guards—i9dward Alfred Jee,
Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Alexander Har-
greaves Brown, who retires.
7th Dragoon Guards—Major and Brevet-Colonel Wel-
lington Henry Stapleton, Vicount Combennere, from
half-pay, Unattached, to be Major, vice Fitzroy George
Smith, who'retires upon temporary half-pay; Captain
Robert Clar"ke to be Major, by purchase, vice Brevet-
Colonel Wellington Henry Stapleton, Viscount Comber-
mere, who retires ; Lieutenant James John London
McAdam to be Captain, by purchase, vice Clarke ;
Cornet Morris Bayntun Crosbie Yescombe to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice McAdam ; Leslio Trevor
Bishop, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Yes-
combo.
19th Hussars—Cornet Frederick Henry Huth, to be Lieu-
tenant, vice Henry Edward Kensit deceased; Gentleman
Cadet Lewis Archibald Charles Cook, from the Royal
Military College, to be Cornet, vice Huth.
21st hussars—Staff Assistant-Surgeon Ebenezer John
Ilatchell to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice W. Halyard, pro-
moted on the Staff.
Royal Regiment of Artillery—Lieut. Anson Swinton to be
Second Captain, vice James Sconce, seconded ; Lieut.
John Wm. Borradaile to be Second Captain, vice John

Tasker, who resigns.
Ist Regiment of Foot—Lieut. George Philip Lucas, from
the Bengal Infantry General List, to be Lieutenant, vice
A. Bloomfield, transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps.
7th Foot—Ensign Harry George Wakolyn Ford, from the
11th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Alfred Bligh Parnell,

deceased. _
10th Foot—Lieutenant Spencer Edw'ard Orr to bo Captain,
without purchase, vice W. 11. P. Gordon Bluott, seconded
on appointment as District Inspector of Musketry in

India.
11th Foot— Gentleman Cadet Charles Stewart Grant
Baxter, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign,
without purchase, vice Ford, transferred to the 7th

Foot.
21st Foot—Ensign Cecil Bowes Robinson to be Lieute-
nant, by purchase, vice George Vautier Lambe, who re-
tires ; Gentleman Cadet Henry Woolgar Griffith, from
the Royal Military college, to be Ensign, by purchase,
vice Robinson.
35th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Trimeu to be Captain,
_ _

without purchase, vice Thomas Lloyd, seconded an ap-
pointment as District Inspsctor of Musketry in India;
Ensign Aylmer Peter Gerald Dowdall to be Lieutenant,
without purchase, vicc Trimen.
42d Foot—Ensign Colin Spens to be Lieutenant, without
purchase, vice G. T. Maitland, transferred to the Bengal
Staff Corps ; Ensign Wm. King Suther, from the 99th
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Spens.
51st Foot—Lieut. John Forbes Pinkey, from the Madras
Infantry General List, to be Lieutenant, vice A. IV. 0.
Read, transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps.
73d Foot—Ensign George Edward Earle to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Clement Wolseley Feather: b
Davidson, from the Royal Military
who retires ; Gentleman Cadet G3orgeeorler
gat
en, itsoDbeeßEunde.
sign, by purchase, vice Earle.
Musketry, vice Lieutenant F.
74th Foot—Ensign Richard Lpig_Nh. tow oboodallin, starpupcotoiurteodf
Assistant Instructor to the
psreohvoioslisonoaflml
—Gentleimin Cadet Thomas Morris Jenkins,
Military College, to be Ensign, without
provisionally Lieutenantkctr3.
r.
nt
vice Stadler, transferred to the 42d Foot.
99th
hon Footl
the Royal
purchase,
101st Foot—Lieut. Spencer Henry Mackay, from 39tb
Madras Native Infantry, to be Lieutenant, vice A. J. C.
Birch, transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps.

Foreign Mail Packet List

MAILS DUE.

Australia and New Zealsnd, via Southampton Mar. 21.
Ditto, via Marseille Mar. 16
Bran and Cape Verde, 1 y B dish packet Mar. O.
Ditto, by French pb ket
Cape of Good Hope, Ab (116 Al, and St. Helena. —Mar. A
China. Penang, and Sin, spa e, via Sou:hampton Mar. 5.
Ditto, via Marseilles .. Mar. 5.
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar, via Southamiloll
India (Calcutta), and Ci ylo 1, via Southampton Mar. 5
Ditto, via Marseilles • Mar. 16
India (Winbay), via Southampton. Mar. 16.
Ditto, via &Israelites Mar. 10
Mauritius, via Southampton
Ditto, via Marseil:e=. Mar. 10.
Newfoundland 4 Mar. 14
Portugal Mar 6.
Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.. • •• • ••••