The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-24 00:00:00

SUEZ CANAL.-GUANO.

Mr. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs whether Mr. Colquhoun, the English consul. gene-
ral in Egypt, together with the English consul at Alex-
andria and other gentlemen, had lately (on 29th June)
visited the works of the Suez Canal, and had expressed his
satisfaction with what he had seen and heard there ; an(
whether such approval was to be understood to be qualifid
by the condition that forced labour should not be employd
on the works of the canal, and that the obligations in Qat
respect of the Pacha of Egypt towards the Porte be falh-
fully fulfilled ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said he had seen the report
alluded to by the hon. member in a foreign newspaper,
but had received no information on the sibject
from the consul-general. The consul had intrmed
him of his intention of visiting the canal, hit had
not sent any information as to the result. He wood take
that opportunity of answering a question which lid been
put to him respecting the exportation of gum. The
question was whether the Peruvian government htd opened
the guano trade? He had received no informatitn to that
effect, on the contrary, his information was, that the late
contract having expired it was their intention to,nvite ten-
ders for a new contract. What her Majesty's Government
had asked was that the guano should be sold it a certain
price, aad that the trade should be opened to all nations.
THE GREAT TASMANIA. _ _

Capt. ARCIIDALL asked the Secretary of State for India
if an inquiry had taken place into the conduct of the officers
in Calcutta that signed the inspection repert of the Great
Tasmania previous to her departure for England, who were
charged with culpability by the verdict of the coroner's in-
quest alio sat upon the bodies who died en board that ship
on her voyage home from India ; and if so, if he could state
to the house what the result of the inquiry had been.
Sir C. WOOD replied that an inquiry did take place, and
the result was that the evidence given on the coroner's in-
quest here was impugned in several particulars. Previously
to that inquiry the officer responsible in some respects for
what had taken aleinpllastiea hade been removed from his position,
and had not been reappointed. Nothing had been done in
t.ha case of the officer commanding the European troops, as
it Zisafie,unanddtltrizta 118(131 zuclidp only tvg!wboeuenla tnrioetdbbeydaescieruabrtle-

Sir C. "WOOD said RAILWAY STOCK.
et had stated some timo ago that it
would be 1:
n lelelesti:::
Powerhae:orvernment before the end of
the evert of itsheem:Tey
to prosecute theirwafyorcormaiplanwaiyespnuor-t
udeortiatkhiengs. He
thoesesseisnsiolnndtioa,tainke
P
raising sufficient funds
gave notice last night that it was the intention
Govern-
ment on Thursday next to ask for a select committee for
purpose, and in order that there might be no mistake asthtat
the object of the Government, he gave notice that the com-
mittee would sit to consider the propriety of authorising the
Secretary of State for India to raise money for railway pur-
poses. On recons:deration, however, he was afraid that if
he did not phrase the resolution in exactly the same terms
as the old stock it would be considered a different stock, a
circumstance which might be very prejudicial to the stock
itself. He wisled to make this alteration in the notice pub-
licly, becansealthough it was a change in the form the sub-
stance was ilentically the same as that of the previous no-
tice. It was most desirable the stock so raised should be of
the same nature as the old stock.
The order was then discharged, and the present motion
to take the committee on Thursday next was agreed to.