The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-27 00:00:00

SECOND ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.

General LINDSAY (for Colonel North) called attention
to the reduction of the second assistant-surgeons of regi-
ments of the line.

Mr. T. G. BARING said that what he had stated on a
former evening was that no second assistant-surgeons were
to be placed on half-pay, and the medical officers of the
Guards having been provided for in the estimates would not
be disturbed. The regimental second assistant surgeons
were not included in the estimates. It was considered by the
Secretary of State for War and the Commander-in-Chief

I that the regiments on home service did not require second
assistant-surgeons. It was unfortunate that it should be
necessary to place a certain number of medical officers on
half-pay, but at the same time the Government could not
recommend the house to vote more money for any branch of
the service than was absolutely required. In consequence
of the Chinese war having terminated and for other reasons,
the number of junior medical officers had been reduced by
29, who were placed on half-pay, but who would be again
employed at the earliest opportunity.
OYSTER BEEP-SEA FISHING.

Mr. CAVE asked the President of the Board of Trade
whether there was any prospect of inducing the French Go-
vernment to consent to an extension of the time allowed for
the deep-sea fishing in the English Channel. It would be
remembered that a fishing convention had been entered
into in 1839 with France for the mutual benefit of the two
nations—one essential arrangement being that foreign fisher-
men should not approach within three miles of the English
coasts. Since that time, however, oyster beds had been
discovered in the deep sea in mid channel ; and while it was
known that the French took no interest in this deep-sea
fishing, our fishermen were actively employed in it. He
believed, if the French Government had the matter brought
fairly before them, they would not object to our fishing for
oysters in mid channel during the fenced months.

Mr. M. GIBSON said that in consequence of the repre-
sentations made to the Government on this subject, France
was invited to consider whether it would be desirable to
modify some of the provisions of the fishing convention in
order to permit oyster fishing to be carried on in the deep
sea during the fenced months of May, June, and July.
The French Government, however, had come to the con-
clusion that it would not be to the interest of the oyster
fishermen themselves to allow any fishing to be carried on
in the fenced months.
CATAIN MACDONALD'S CASE.
Mr. V. scx.ILLY recalled attention to Captain Mac-
' donald's case, and hoped that the noble lord would read
the papers laid beforo the house through carefully, as he
had cb,ne every word of them, before he made any further
representations to the Prussian Government. It was very
evident that the noble lord and the hon. and learned gen-
tleman who followed him, had not read these papers
through. The fact was, the less we said about the affair
the better; and he hoped so trumpery a case would not be
made the means of fostering bitter feelings between the
two nations. (Hear.) The fault was not all on one side,
for Captain Macdonald used violence, as the witnesses de-
posed upon oath, and the English residents at Bonn ap-
plied the term "cowardly" to the Procureur du Roi. The
Prussian Government had severely reprimanded the Pro-
cureur du Roi, and awarded him the strongest punish-
ment they could, that of absolute\dismissal ; while, to the
English Government they had made an apology which was
almost humiliating. They lvul declared, that as violence
was proved to have been used by Captftin Macdonald, they
had acted considerately towerds him by punishing him for
the minor offence of rudeness to the official, rather than
give him a long imprisonment fot the act of assault
proved.