The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-02 00:00:00

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Wandsworth and Putney Gas and Mersey Pnueraa-
tic Railway Bill were read a second time.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—The Gough Gas, Glasgow Houses of Refuge, Manches-
ter Gas, Tyne Improvement, Bristol and Portishead Pier
and Railway (additional powers).
THE FENIAN CONSPIRACY.
Lord DUN SANY asked her Majesty's Ministers whe-
ther they had received any information of the circumstances
under which a man named Cryar or Bryar was, on the ith
ult., sentenced to two months' imprisonment, for the seri-
ous offence of endeavouring to seduce two soldiers
from thoir allegiance, and engage them in the Fenian
conspiracy. Ile drew attention to the importance of any
matter connected with the movement of disaffection which
had sprung up in Ireland amongst a portion of the deluded
people of that country. He did not attach any blame to
the Irish Executive in reference to this subject. He be-
lieved there was no barrack in Ireland in which attempts
bad not been made to seduce soldiers from their alle-
giance, and the matter became ona of a very serious cha-
racter. He contended that in the present case the pu nis hment
was far too lenient for the grave nature of the offence
which had been committed. He referred to an act of
George 111., by whieh the offence of endeavouring to wean
!soldiers or sailors from their allegiance was punishable by
death without benefit of clergy. The offence was after-
wards made a felony and severely punished. He under-
stood that the Vtempts on the soldiery by the Fenians were
very extensive. He considered therefore th!t it would be
most impolitic, under these circumstances, to relax the
stringency of the law in regard to those convicted of such
an offence.
Lord DUFFERIN said he concurred in many of the ob-
servations of the noble lord, and he thought the punish-
ment in the case in question was by no moans sufficiently
severe. Bat the Irish Government were not to be made
answerable for the acts of magistrates at petty sessions.
When the case was reported by the inspector of con-
stabulary at the Castle, instructions were sent to the place
where the prisoner was confined directing that he should
be sent to Dublin for trial, but the magistrates had already
passed their sentence.
The Landed Improvement (Ireland) Bill and the Drain-
age Maintenance (Ireland) Bill wero severally read a second
time.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LtsT EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Esit Valley Railway, Neath New Gas, \Vantage and Great
Western Junction Railway, and Wesleyan and General
Assurance Society.

IRON PASSENGER SHIP.
Mr. O'BEIRNE asked the Vico-President of the Board
of Trade what were the qualifications of the Surveyors of
Iron Passenger Ships, under the Merchant Shipping Act
of 1854.
Mr. MONSELL said the persons employed to survey iron
passenger ships were required before appointment to pro-
duce indentures of apprenticeship, and also to undergo a
personal examinationby officers appointed by the Board of
Trade.

THE SERPENTINE
Mr. H. LEWIS asked the First Commissioner of Works
whether his attention had been called to the practice of
permitting sheep to be washed in the Serpentine in the
same spot where bathing was allowed ; and whether it
was true that last year an express promise was given that
the pollution of the water from such improper practice
should not be again sanctioned ?
Mr. COWPER said such a practice was contrary to the
regulations, and had taken place without permission.
CATTLE PLAGUE.

Mr. G. LANGTON asked the Secretary of State for the
Rome Department whether the Government had deter-
mined what compensation should be given to owners of
stock for loss on cattle slaughtered by order of inspectors
previous to the passing of the Cattle Plague Act ?
Sir G. GREY said that 300 papers had been sent out to
different places to obtain information relative to the value
of the cattle slaughtered. Only about half of those papers
had been returned, while only one-seventh of those sent to
Scotland had been received, and therefore he was not in a
position at present to answer the question.
Mr. BEACH asked the Secretary of State for War whe-
ther it was true that large quantities of hay had been pur-
chased from infected districts in Cheshire, and sent to Al-
dershot and to other places ?
Mr. HEADLAII said the contractors, like all other
persous,were liable for any infringement of the act of Par-
liament. The Government had no knowledge of the cir-
cumstance to which the right hon. gentleman had alluded.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said ho had given no notice of the
question he was about to put, so that if the right hon. gen-
tleman was not prepared to give him an answer he
would not at present press it. lie wished to know, con-
sidering the extraordinary loss that occurred in Chester by
the cattle plague, whether Government intended to take
any particular step with respect to that part of the
country ?
Sir G. GREY said he had received numerous represen-
tations from Chester, and a loan, spread over a period of
30 years, was asked for on the security of the county rate.
In the event of the Government being satisfied that the
instalments would be paid, ho intended to submit such a
proposal for the sanction of the house.

TIIE CATTLE PLAGUE.

In reply to Mr. 0. STANLEY,

Mr. C. FORTESCUE said only seven cases of cattle
plague had occurred in Ireland, and they had been on three
farms in the county Down. Lung disease had, it was
true, prevailed, and where any cases had been reported to
the Government properly qualified persons were sent to
examine into the matter. No fresh cases of cattle plague have
taken place. It was to be hoped that the disease would
not extend to Ireland.