The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-20 00:00:00

TIdE ARMI.

In accordance with orders to that effect received
from the Horse Guards the Royal Engineer detach-
ment at head-quarters,Chatham, is in course of being
broken up, in order that the whole of the non-
commissioned officers and men composing it may be
draughted into the four new depot companies—the
35th, 36th, 3:7th, and 38th—which the Duke of
Cambridge has directed to be formed at Brompton.
Upwards of 2,000 soldiers assembled on Monday
morning in Plymouth Citadel, the gates of which
were closed against civilians. They consisted of
ten companies of Royal Artillery, and all other men
off duty from the 12th Regiment, Royal Marines,
53d, 61st, &c., and were under the command of
Major-General N. Hutchinson, commander of forces
in the west, aided by Capt. J. B. Kirk, major of
brigade, and Brevet Lieut,-Col. J. B. Mann, town-
major. Sentence of court-martial was read against
eight privates belonging to various regiments. One
had taken the bounty in several different places ;
he now belongs to the 53d. Various proportionate
Lc, uA,,, of 1... pi i.cfnuient were awarded to him and
four others. The remaining three were sentenced
to be flogged, and it was to witness the execution
of the punishment that so many soldiers were
assembled. The first tied up—Reddington, private
in the 12th Regiment, recently returned from Indi
—had 25 lashes at the Cape of Good Hope, on the
voyage home. His present offence is of a nameless
character, for which he received 50 lashes, admini-
stered by two drummers. The second (Webster),
belonging to the same regiment, received the like
punishment for robbing regimental clothing from
his comrades. The third, a private in the 61st, had
50 lashes for striking the adjutant of his regiment.
After being released from the triangles the pri-
soners were immediately dressed, placed under
guard, and marched behind their respective regi-
ments to barracks. The punishment was admini-
stered near the monument on the open lawn in the
centre of the citadel.

THIS DAY'S MA.R.KETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

The arrivals of English wheat up to this morning's
market were again limited, and, generally speaking, in
very poor condition. In the trade, for all qualities, we have
to report continued firmness, and good and fine samples
command is to 2s per quarter advance on last week's cur-
rency. Inferior descriptions quite maintain their value.
The importation of foreign wheat is confined to 5,150
quarters, and all descriptions are in good request, at an im-
provement of quite is per quarter.
Floating cargoes of grain are mostly hold for Is per
quarter more money.
The trade for barley, with the exception of the finest
qualities, is very heavy, at barely late rates.
In malt the transactions have been confined to actual
wants, on former terms.
Oats moved off steadily, at full prices.
Beans command extreme currencies, but white peas are
very dull.
All kinds of flour are very firm, and in some instances
the quotations have been on the advance.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English 260 ( 750 1,450 2O 1,670
:,..- Irish — -- 500
Foreign 5,150 900 6,420 300saeks
2,590 brls.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.)
ithe Loup ettANcELLon took his seat on the woolsack at
eve o'clock.

CHURCH RATES.
A. number of petitions against the abolition of church

fates were presented.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Metropolitan Central Hotel Company Bill was lead
second time.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Charing Cross Bridge (City Terminus) ; Portsmouth
Water; Edgeware, Highgate, and London Railway ;
price's Patent Candle Company ; Eastern Counties and
Saffron Walden Railway ; and Dewsbury and Batley Gas.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICES BILL.
Lord TAUNTON moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to remove a certain declaration
which was now required to be taken by every
person appointed to any office under the Crown.
The declaration at present required to be taken,
bound the person never to use any power vested
In him by virtue of his office to do anything calculated to
injuto the Church as by law established. The bill he
thought would have been agreed to without opposition,
tut he found that it was to be opposed. The declaration
had for years been disregarded, and he doubted whether
the noble earl opposite, when he took the high and respon-
eible office of First Minister of the Crown, subscribed to the
declaration. (The Earl of Derby—l did.] (Hear, and
laughter.) The noble and learned lord then who sat
tlext the noble lord, when he was elevated to
the woolsack, and had to dispense Church patronage, did
riot SilbaCribe to the declaration. [Lord Chelmsford.—Yes,
clid.l—(Laughter.) He was unfortunate in mentioning
eaenaes, but he knew that although he (Lord Taunton) had
held several offices under the Crown, he never made the
declaration, and it was notorious that a number of the persons
holding very high offices dispensed with it also, and a bill
of indemnity was regularly passed every year to exempt such
persons from the consequences of the omission. He knew
many very sensible persons who thought it was highly ob-
jectionable, and who felt so scrupulous, that they thought
it an infringement of the declaration to sign a petition for
the abolition of Church-rates. He was of opinion that no
danger could result to the Church by the abolishing the
declaration, and he hoped their lordships would be of
opinion that it ougkt no longer to be retained.
Lord CHELMSFORD said, in spite of the strong appeal
of the noble lord, he felt it his duty to oppose the bill, and
he hoped the house would uphold its former decision. He
thought the Dissenters had in years gone by received a
benefit with a certain condition, and they were now, by
objecting to make the required declaration, attempting to
retain the benefit and get rid of the condition. For thirty
years the declaration had been in force, and now it was dis-
covered to be highly inconvenient. He had no sympathy
with the members of the Church who had such sickly
scruples as prevented them from taking the declaration,
and he must say he was astonished at some of the remarks
of the noble lord opposite as to the little danger likely to be
apprehended by the Church by repealing this declaration,
when it was well known that large bodies of persons
were exerting themselves to the utmost to obtain a sever-
ance of Church and State.
Lord DE GREY and RIPON was not surprised at
the opposition of Lord Chelmsford, based, as it was, not on
the merits or demerits of the measure, but upon the advo-
cacy of it by persons of extreme views.
After a few remarks from Lords TEYNHAM and NOE,
MANBY, the house divided, when the numbers were, for the
second reading, 38 ; against it, 49. So the bill was lost.
The Red Sea and India Telegraph Bill passed through
committee,
Lord CLANRICARDE moved for certain returns in con-
nection with the administration of justice in Ireland.
Lord GRANVILLE did not oppose the motion.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COIVIMONS.-(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were considered and ordered for third
reading :—Kendal Fell, Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junc-
tion Railway, and Stockton and Darlington Railway (New
Railway at Marske and Skelton, &c.)
PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented against the Parochial
Assessment Bill and the Poor Law Removal Act, as well
as the Metropolitan Improvement (No. 1) Bill, &c.
BALLOT SOCIETY.
On the motion of Mr. H. BERKELEY copies of a letter
from the Secretary of the Ballot Society to the Postmaster•
General respecting the alleged suppression of certain letters
at Ripon, from the secretary of the same society to the Se-
cretary of tho Treasury, and of the letter on behalf of the
Postmaster-General to the Secretary of the Ballot Society,
eaelv to the same, inelosing a declaration, signed by
60 electors of Ripon, wet. ordered.
SALMON FISHERIES.
Mr. BAINES presented a numerously-signed petition
from Leeds, Ripon, and different places in Yorkshire,
expressing approval of the recommendations of the com-
mittee on this subject, and praying that the same should
be carried out.
lONIAN ISLANDS.
Mr. MAGUIRE begged to give notice that on Thursday
ho would ask the First Lord of the Treasury if the state-
ment which had appeared in the French newspapers, re-
lative to the interference of the English Government in the
affairs of the lonian Islands, were considered to be the great
source of the difficulties in which these islands were placed ;
whether the cause assigned for the adjournment for six
months of the legislature of those islands was correct, and
other information on the same subject.
NAVAL PENSIONERS.
Colonel LINDSAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty,
if it was true that three pensioners, referred to in a letter
to the Times of the 11th inst., have had the pensions awatded
them for loss of limbs reduced from one shilling to nine-
pence a-day ; and, if so, upon what grounds a sailor is
treated upon a different system from a soldier as to pension

for wounds.
Lord C. PAGET said the pensioners in' question were
awarded ls. a day. The regulations of the service were that
an able seaman, having been wounded severely, should
have a pension of 2s. 6d. a day ; but if he were able to
make natural exertions for his support a pension would be
allowed of 6d. a day. However, these men could claim
admission to Greenwich Hospital, and under the new regu-
lations they would also receive 3s. a week.
SEALED PATTERNS.
Major HAMILTON asked the -Under Secretary of State
for War, if there was any objection to duplicates of the
sealed patterns being lodged in Edinburgh, in order that
Scotch contractors may see them without having to send
to London ?
Mr. BARING said there would be no objection to the
course proposed, as it would be beneficial to the public
service.

THE Amu IN INDIA.
In reply to Col. DICKSON, it was stated that arrange-
ments had been made for a local army in India, and also for
the establishment of European cavalry for service in that
country.