The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-18 00:00:00

SCHOOLS OF DESIGN.

Mr. RICARDO moved for the following return :—The
amount granted for Schools of Design in the years 1853,
1854, 1855, and 1856, respectively ; specifying the
amount paid to each school, and to the master of each
or any school, distinguishing whether the payment to
such master be wholly for salary, or on account of scho-
larship or otherwise.—Granted.
THE TENANT LEAGUE (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. MOORE gave notice that, on 3d March next, he
should move to bring in a bill to award compensation
to tenant farmers.
THE METROPOLITAN WORKHOUSES.
Lord RAYNHANI gave notice that on that day fort-
!light he should move for a select committee to inquire
,u
inotostehe state of the poor in the metropolitan work-
end the state of the poor generally in the me-
tropolis.

In answer THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
to a question from Sir D. L. EVANS,
Sir C. WOOD stated that a 3 soon as the Government
bad come to A determination whether or not they would
send out another expedition in search of Sir J. Franklin,
he would inform the house, and if in the affirmative a
vote would be taken in the new estimates.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS BILL (SCOTLAND).
Mr. BAXTER asked the Lord Advocate if he in-
tended to bring in a bill this session extending to the
Scotch counties the provisions of the Registrations of
Voters Bill, passed last year for the Burghs ; and also
if it was his intention to introduce a Police Bill for
Scotland ?
The LORD ADVOCATE said that bills would shortly
d don
be intro LORD AD
subjects.

THE MEGIERA TROOP-SHIP,
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON asked the First Lord of
the Admiralty what was the cause of the detention of
the Megmra troopship at Portsmouth after the time
fixed for her sailing for the Illatiritius with troops ;
whether it was true that, shortly after she sailed, she
sprung a dangerous leak, which would probably have
caused the loss of the ship had the accident occurred
at a greater distance from laud ; whether the repairs
which the Megara was now again undergoing at Ply-
mouth were such as would enable the Admiralty to feel
confident that she would be in a fit state to convey 400
or 500 of her Majesty's troops to so distant a part of the
world ?

- -
Sir C. WOOD said that the cause of the detention of
the Megaara arose from the officer commanding her hav-
ing miscalculated the time it would take to get her in
order for the troops. It was not true that she sprang a
leak, but it appeared that two small sore NB at the bottom
of the vessel were not fastened as they ought to have
been, and the consequence was the water came in, but
only in so small a quantity that with an ordinary hand
bucket she might have taken a voyage round the world.
These holes had been stopped, and she was now in a fit
state to convey troops.
Lord A. V. TEMPEST asked the irst Lord of the

Admiralty if a similar circumstance did not happen to
the ship when taking troops to the Cape I He had re-
ceived a letter from a person who was on board the
vessel when she put back to Plymouth at variance with
the First Lord of the Admiralty's statement. (Cries of
" Order.") His lordship, to enable him to read the con-
tents of the letter, moved the adjournment of the house.
The letter stated that the ship had only been to sea two
days when she sprang a leak-, and had three feet of water
in the cabin.
The motion having been recorded,
Sir C. WOOD said that he had made his statement
on the report forwarded to the Admiralty.
Major S. KNOX also put a question to the First
Lord of the Admiralty relative to the state of this ship.
The motion was then withdrawn.
INCOME TAX.

Mr. MUNTZ postponed hie motion relative to the
income tax to that day fortnight.
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR.

Mr. J. G. PHELLIMORE asked the Solicitor-
General whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Ministers to bring forward any measure founded on the
report of the committee of last session on the appoint-
ment of a public prosecutor ?
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he was not in a
position to pledge the Government to the introduction
of such a bill. The introduction of such a measure
must greatly depend on the state of public business.
THE LORCHA ARROW.

Viscount GODERICH asked the First Lord of the
Treasury whether it was true that the case of the lorcha
Arrow was not the only one in which the authorities of
Canton had recently seized or entered upon boats sail-
ing under British colours, or furnished with a British
register ; and, if so, whether he would lay upon the table
of the house any papers relating to such proceedings ;
and also, whether he would have any objection to lay be-
fore the house any instructions which might have been sent
by the Home Government to Sir John Bowring on his
appointment as Governor of Hong Kong, or at any sub-
sequent period previous to October last, on the subject of
the exclusion of the British authorities and merchants
from the city of Canton ?
Lord PALMERSTON said that the papers that had
already been presented to the house relative to the China
war distinctly showed that on two former occasions
lorchas had been molested by the Chinese, and that the
papers also showed what steps had been taken by Sir J.
Bowring on the subject. Thera would be no objection
if the house wished it to lay the instructions referred to
on the table of the house, and he (Lord Palmerston)
would undertake that it should be done.
THE TWO SICILIES.

Mr. COCHRANE asked the First Lord of the Trea-
sury whether the Neapolitan papers presented to Parlia-
ment comprised all the despatches from Lord Clarendon
to the British Mission at Naples between the 19th May,
when her Majesty's Government recommended the
Government of the Two Sicilies to grant a general
amnesty, and October the 10th, when the British mis-
sion was instructed to leave Naples ; also, at what period
and on what conditions her Majesty's Government in-
tended resuming diplomatic relations with the kingdom
of the Two Sicilies ?
Lord PALMERSTON said, in answer to the first
question, that the papers presented to the house did not
contain all the despatches that had been sent to the
British Mission at Naples, but only such as bore on the
matters for which the papers were presented. He must
answer the second question by asking the hon. gentle-
man another question, viz., if he had full power from the
King of Naples to put the question I (Laughter.) Be-
cause, if so, he had better apply to Lord Clarendon in
Downing-street rather than in that house. He thought
the house would agree with him that this was not a pro-
per place to enter on the subject. (Hear, hear.)
THE RESOLUTE.

Mr. ROEBUCK said that it was currently reported
that the " Resolute" Arctic ship that had been fitted out
by the American Government, and presented to this
country, had been put into dock and pulled to pieces.
He wished to know from the first Lord of the Admiralty
if it were true, and if so, why it had been done? (Hear.)
Sir C. WOOD said that his answer must necessarily
be short, though not the less satisfactory, viz., that it
was not true that the Resolute was being dismantled.
THE BOMBARDMENT OF. CANTON.

Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the First Lord of the
Treasury if it was true that Admiral Seymour used
red-hot shot in the b)mbarament of Canton, and if there
were any papers or despatches referring to it, if he would
present them to the house ? (Hear, Hear.)
Lord PALMERSTON said that there was no foun-
dation for the report. The Chinese set fire to some of
the Hongs. A number of the Chinese congregated in
the spaces between them, and in order to disperse them
Admiral Seymour threw some shot amongst them, but
not red•hot shot.
COLONIAL SHIPS REGISTERS.
In answer to a question from Mr. WALPOLE,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Government had
laid on the table of the house the papers relative to co-
lonial ships registers.
MR. SHEEPSHANKS' PRESENT OF PICTURES.
Mr. G. VERNON asked the First Lard of the Trea-
sury to lay on the table of the house the correspondence
that had passed relative to Mr. Sheepshanks' present of
pictures to the nation.
Lord PALMERSTON acceded to the application.
The country were deeply indebted to Mr. Sheepshanks
fur his valuabli present.
THE IRISH FISHERIES.

Mr, M'MAJION moved for have to bring in a b!1
to assimilate the law as to the sea.codst fisheries of Ire
land to that of England,
Mr. HORSHAN, on the part of the Government,
gave no opposition to the introduction of the bill, but if
the bill was identically the same as that the house had
repeatedly rejected, it was a question for the house to
decida.

Sir G. GREY said that if the Government gave their
consent to the introduction of the bill, they reserved the
right of opposing its details if they found it necessary.
Mr. G. H. MOORE said the real question involved
war; one between the salmon fisheries of Ireland and those
of England and Scotland, and no doubt the proprietors
of salmon fisheries in England and Scotland would be
glad to assimilate the law in that raFpect to that of Ire-
land. All his hon. friend asked by his bill was that the
law relating to fisheries in IrPland should be assimilated
to those of England and Scotland.

Mr. F. FRENO El said if he understood the objection
of the Secretary for Ireland, it was that it had been in-
troduced on former occasions and had not received the
sanction of the house. He wished the right hon. gentle-
man would act on that principle with regard to the Judg-
ment and Executions Bill, to which all the Irish members
were opposed, and which had been this session intro-
duced for the fifth time.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NAVY.

CApt. SCOBELL rose to clove for a select committee to

inquire into the naval administration relating to the lists of
officers, the patronage, the promotions, and the retire-
ments, and the efficiency of the service in all its grades.
He said when ho !nada a similar motion lest year we
were in a state of war, and he felt the force of the objec-
tion that that was not a proper time to go into an inves-
tigation of the state of naval affairs. Now we were at

peace, and no time could be more fitting for such an in-
quiry as he asked. The question did not partake of
party ; it was a question of naval administrative reform.
the Admiralty was perfect, no inquiry was wanted ;
but there was a prevailing feeling in the navy that it was
unfairly governed, and that its government required
amendment. Naval officers stood in various classes and

Hits, rll sharing in the hardships which they said predo-
minated in the navy. Ire did not mean to attack the
present Board of Admiralty, or any other, but the system.
He would probably be toll there had been an inquiry into
the administration of the navy in 1848 ; but it was an in-
quiry into all its branche., and not this one in particular,
and all the recommendations made after that inquiry
had failed. He would show that the number of naval
officers on half-pay so preponderated over those on full
pay, that great expense was caused, and there was little
opportunity for naval officers to acquire experience in
their profession. In the French and American navies
there was some limit to the number of officers of the navy
appointed, but in this country there was none. The hon.
and gallant gentleman proceeded to urge that a sum of
60,0001. a year had been granted for the purpose of al-
lowing officers of the army to retire on full pay, while
there was no such proyi:,ion for the navy. The army, at
least, had the advantage of having a military man at its
head, whose office was as nearly permanent as possible ;
but how different was the government of the navy. The
head of the navy was a poiicical officer, and was influenced
by politics. He now came to a more practical question,
that is, as to the cifferance in i he situation of naval officer i
as c mipared with those in the
ca sister service.
theO the lhouse,a-
ocsion wh n he brought the ettbjt b,
h 3 adduced many cases of men in the r avy who had
gained their first step from lieutenant to post-captain in
from three to four yedxs, and other cases in which that
step had not been gained in has than from 30 to 40 years.
One of th Lords of the Admiralty was one of those who
got on thus rapidly, and he trusted that gallant officer
would not get up and beat down the claims of his brother
officers. (Hear.) The first class of officers to which he
would call the attention of the house was the active list of
admirals. That list contained 100, of whom only 14 were
employed, 'and ho believed it would be difficult to find 14
others who could be employed. There were therefore Bti
unemployed admirals; and one great grievance r, specting
that list was that the men who were made active admirals

were often older than the inactive admirals.. The total

number of active cytaiis was 339, of whom only 112
were employed, the remaining 277 being on half-pay,
(Hear, hear.) The number of active commanders wa3

542, of whoL there were employed 144, including the
Coail-guard. The number on half-pay was 398. Now, let
the house look at the half-pay of these officers. A
naval captain of three years ranked with a colonel in the
army. The huff--pay of the first 70 was 14s. 6d. per day ;
the next 100 got 123. ; the remaining 228 got 103. 60.
Of commanders who ranked with majors in the army,
got only
the senior 150 got 104. per day, but the remaining 392
Bs. Gd. These sums were all considerably less
than the amounts paid to officers of corresponding rank
in the army. The number of active leutenants ranking
with captains in the army
was 1,138, of whom 795
were employed, and 343 were on hs i-pay. Of that
number only 34 got 7s. per day, and these 34 had an
average standing of 43 years. The next 154 got 63.
per day, the next 820 gut 53., and the remaining 120
got only 43. From the year 1342 to 1857, the number
of cadets admitted was 1,700, and during that period
only 836 lieutenants had been made, leaving an excess
of cadets in fifteen years of 961. The state of the navy
was such, that of those who entered one-third never got
less number of cadets into the navy. Not
or
beyond the first stop. The only cure for that evil was
mare
admit
an a t
40 .qr 50 ought to be admitted each year
But last year the number admitted was
116,
during peace. But
the previous year the number was 140 or
150, and the year before that not less than 200 were,