The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-13 00:00:00

MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANIES.

Mr. GREGORY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
the number and date of the different breaches of contract
committed by the Cunard, Peninsular and Oriental, and
West India Companies during the first two years of their
service, and the number of penalties imposed ; and he also
asked the Secretary to the Treasury in how many instances
such penalties were remitted by the Treasury ?
Col. FRENCH said that before that question was
an,,wered he wished to ask why returns for which he had
moved, and which had been ordered, relative to the subject
had not been produced ?

Mr. PEEL, in the absence of Lord C. Paget, said that
the orders referred to were being prepared, but he could not
tell when they would be laid on the table of the' house.
With reference to the other question, owing to the length
of time that had elapsed from the time to which he had to
refer, there was some difficulty in tracing out the informa-
tion required. Taking the Cunard Company, in the first
instance, which had been in existence since 1840, he found
that during the whole time they carried the Government
mails they had incurred no penalty, and therefore had not
asked for any indulgence on the part of the Government,
but had carried the mails with undeviating regularity.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company had been equally
regular. There was only one instance at least of that com-
pany having failed in executing their contract, and that
was with respect to the communication between Malta and
the lonian Islands in 1841, and a fine of £l,OOO was im-
posed and enforced. With regard to the West Indian Mail
Packet Company, they should have three voyages in 1841
according to their contracts, but .in consequence of some
delay in the completion of their vessels they were granted
another month to commence their operations. As far as the
conveyance of mails from this country by the company was
concerned, there was only one other failure, and that was a
delay of four days in leavng Falmouth, for which they had
been fined £3,500, which had been paid. He referred to
the evidence of Captain Chapple to show that out of 180
mails which that company had carried from this country,
they had been most regularly conveyed, and he thought in
the case in question they had been unjustly fined. With
regard to inter-colonial communication, they were
fined in one instance £B,OOO for a failure of
contract, which the Government considered was produced
by their not having sufficient vessels, but on their repre-
sentations this penalty was remitted. In another instance,
in the same department of their service, they had failed to
fulfil their contract, and they were fined £2,715. He be -
lieved that this was a correct statement.

MEDICAL OFFICERS IN THE LATE EAST
INDIA COMPANY.

Mr. BLAKE asked the Secretary of State for India if
he had any objection to state what arrangements had
been made with regard to the position of the medical
officers of the late East India Company's army, on
its amalgamation with the Queen's forces ; whether it
was intended that medical officers who received an
increase of rank by the warrant of January, 1860, simi-
lar to that granted to officers of the Queen's army by the
warrant of October, 1858, should aloe reccive the same in
crease of pay in proportion as when granted to medical
officers in the royal army; and were the senior medical
officers of her Majesty's Indian service to be promoted to
the rank of Principal Inspector General, Inspector General
of Hospitals, and Deputy Inspectors General of Hospitals,
as heretofore, when vacancies occur, or were these appoint-
ments in future to be filled by the medical officers of her
Majesty's royal army ?

Sir C. WOOD said he was sorry that he could not give
any satisfactory information on this subject, as the matter
rested with the Council of India and the Secretary for War.

THE EAST INDIA BILLS.
In reply to Colonel SYKES,

Sir C. WOOD said he hoped to be able to proceed with
the second reading of these bills this evening.
HER MAJESTY'S STEAMER JACKALL.

Mr. CAIRD asked the Secretary of the Admiralty whether
it was true that a fisherman had been killed, and another
seriously injured in Argyleshire, in consequence of shots
fired from her Majesty's steamer Jackall, while at sea, and
also who was responsible for such a proceeding.
The LORD ADVOCATE said that the accounts re-
ceived on this subject were conflicting, and the matter
would be judicially investigated.
THE GOVERNOR OF LEBANON.

In reply to Sir T. FERGIISSON,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that it had been agreed that
there should be a Christian Governor appointed for the
Lebanon, but some difference of opinion prevailitg
amongst the Commissioners as to whether he should be a

native, it was agreed that there should be no limit in re-
ference to that point.
THE HIGHWAYS BILL AND THE ELECTION

LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

In reply to M FARROW and Mr. D. GRIFFITHS,
Sir G. C. LEWIS said if he could proceed with the first
of then bills by going into committee not later than H
o'clock to-night he could do so, tut with reference to the
other bill he would not bring it on to-night.
WORKHOUSE AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
On the motion of Mr. HENLEY, a number of returns
on this subject were ordered.

EAST INDIA LOAN BILL.
On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
various exceptions were taken to its provisions by Mr,
HADFIELD and Sir IL WILLOUGHBY.

Mr. AYRSON defended the bill, but considered it was
inconvenient to mix up the subject of Indian finance in as
manner like the present.
Sir C. WOOD said that he concurred with the last
speaker, but the course he pursued was unavoidable.
He quoted some of the statements of Mr. Laing in his
financial statement to show that he (`ir C. Wood) bad not
drawn too flattering an account of the financial position of
India. He placed greater reliance on this statement,
which had been endorsed by all the members of the India
Council, than the report on which hon. members relied for
information.

The house then went into committee.
(LEFT SITTING.)

ASCOT RACES.—(This Day.)

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