The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-07 00:00:00

COUNTY RATES (IRELAND)

Mr.' HA S SARD asked the CluZncellor of the Exchequer
he intended to act upon the recommendations contained
in tne report of the select committee on the county rates
(Ireland), presented in July, 1858, and if he intended to
take a vote in the estimates for that purpose ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the Government had been in communication with the Irish
Government, and had not received any reply to a letter
which they had recently addressed to the latter, but a
copy of that document had been again forwarded, and
would no doubt be attended to.
REFORM OF THE CORPORATION OF LONDON.
In reply to Mr. J. LOCKE,
Sir G. C. LEWIS said it was his intention to introduce
a bill on the subject of the reform of the Corporation of
London, and that the bill would be in conformity with
the recommendations of the last committee on this subject.
ENGAGEMENTS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND
FRANCE.

Mr. KINGLAXE asked whether regard for the public
service rendered it expedient to withhold the answers of
Sir J. Crampton to the despatches of the 25th and 29th of
April last, in which Lord Malmesbury directed inquiries to
be made concerning the alleged engagements between
Russia and France.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that he oliad searched the
Foreign••office and could only discover a despatch of the Bth
of May, and there would be no objection to its production.

PERUGIA.

Mr. KINGLAKE asked if there was any despatch rela-
tive to the events that had taken place at Perugia,, and
whether there was any objection to lay the same on the
table ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that two letters on the subject
had been received, but he thought itwas necessary to make
further inquiries to ascertain the accuracy of the informa-
tion they contained, and he did not think it would be ad-
visable to produce these letters until such information had
been received. (Hear, hear.)
CRIMINAL J USTICE (MIDDLESEX).
Mr. L. KING moved an address for returns of the num-
ber of days during which the Assistant Judge aad Deputy
Assistant Judge have each respectively sat at the Middle-
sex Sessions in each year since 1844, and of the
amount of fees or salary which have been paid to the
Deputy Assistant Judge in each year since 1844.
And of the number of days the Recorder and the Common
Sergeanthavo sat in their respective courts, and the amount
of their respective salaries.
PACKET CONTRACTS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved for
a select committee to inquire into the manner in which
contracts extending over periods of years have from
time to time been formed or modified by her Majesty's
Government with various steam packet companies
for tho conveyance of the mails beyond the limits
of the United Kingdom; and likewise into any agree-
ments or other arrangements which have been adopted at
the public charge, actual or prospective, for the purposes

of telegraphic -communications beyond sea, and. to report
their opinion thereon to the house ; together with any re-
commendations as to rules to be observed hereafter by the
government in making contracts for services which have
hot yet been sanctioned by Parliament, or which extend
over a series of years ; power to report from time to time.
The right hon. gentleman, after some introductory obser-
vations, said the demand for the multiplication of themeans
of postal communication by steam had progressively ex-
tended, and, if carried out, a very considerable charge
would be imposed on .the estimates. Ocean postage dif-
' fered from postal communication on land, because, instead
of being a source of considerable revenue, inflicted a very
heavy burden on the public exchequer of the country. Ife
held in his hand the estimates for the present year, and he
found that the item for this service was no less than
£988,488, a very great portion of which was not covered by
the revenue derived from this source. (Hear,
house,
n proceededs
tbafturther system.i
hear.) They
system had been introduced by the executive Government
from time to time, and he contended that they should have
not only be
the judgment of the house before they
increasing their expenditure or continug
ytlr
It was most desirabl.epatrl
e, but of the
should note be of
. great public im
portance of the subject, for hitherto Government
considering t
o f thet rhete h
e should
aconunotpryiniognencornall
numb :inestion had been very
was that much
been. without any such guid,re.
c The had
of subsidies for the service policy of the system
persons considered
much
these dou bstuebds
i; d
ie
s and a
continuedjealousy anyha
d longer.been
inquiry of the select committeee.whi
Theth a t
consequence
therefore he thought great felt by private individuals, Underch thhoe se
proposed.
( circumstancesnear ,
i benefit would result from the
hear.) It would, Itt all events, have the effect of removing
any doubts that were entertained on the subject, if the
e to the
theHe reenfbejreretd
on a
existing system
•
continued, or was proved to be deserving of being
of having ever been introduced.
commission that had been appointed on
avidoviausiboilccity e
occasion, and
utheteieenffecintstoeaf
dthee'frane-
porf tended to thpere
increase in the expenditure in reference to this ser-
. vice. The charge at that time was £853,000,
and, as he had already stated, it had now
reached nearly £1,000,000. ,A contract for a new service
with America was being considered, which would involve
an additional charge of £75,000. Besides, Australia, which
at present was supplied with postal communication the
Red Sea, was desirous of having a communication across
the Isthmus: of Panama, and if a line of steamers were
established for that purpose, it would lead to astill further
heavy charge. He repeated that it was most desirable
~ that Parliament should not interfere with this subject, and