The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-14 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

Mr. DUNCOMBE inquired if the Government in-
tended to introduce any measure this session on the sub-
ject of church rates.
Lord PAL MERSTON hoped the Government would
be able to introduce such a measure, but it must depend
upon the state and progress of public business.
CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT.

In anqwer to a question on this subject,
Lord PALMERSTON said it was the intention of
Government to introduce a measure this session on the
subject of corrupt practices at elections.
MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS.

Mr. NE WDEGATE called the attention of the house
to the present distressed state of the operative popula-
tion in the manufacturing districts, and expressed a wish
that Government, before separating, had adopted mea-
sures for its mitigation.

Sir G. GREY said that Government sympathised
with the numerous operative population at present out
of employment, owing to recent failures, but it was
impossible for the government to adopt special
measures for local circumstances. He had every
reasou to believe that their gposition would shortly be
beVer than at present.
The motion for adjournment was then agreed to.
LONDON CORPORATION REFORM.
Sir G. GREY gave notice that on the 4th Feb, he
should introduce a measure for the reform of the Cor-
poration of the City of London.

Mr. T. DUNC6MBE gave. notice that on the 9th
March be should bring forward his motion relative to
Baton Rothschild taking his seat for the City of London.

CHURCH RATES.

Sir J. TRELAWNEY referred to the subject of
church rates, and reminded the Government that
the people would not be satisfied with their continually
putting off this question. He called upon the noble
lord to state decidedly what he intended to do with re-
ference to this subject.
NAVAL STATIONS.

Lord A. CHURCHILL asked whether it was the

intention of her Majesty's Government to form separate
naval stations at the Australian and New Zealand
Colonies.

Sir C. WOOD said that at present, to a certain ex-
tent, the stations wcra separated. No change was at
present contemplated.
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Mr. WYLD asked the First Lord of the Treasury
if, upon the reassembling of Parliament, it was the
intention of her Majesty's Ministers to propose any
alterapion in the present Government of India.
.Sir G. GREY. said that the Government had already
intimated their intention to introduce the subject on an
early day. He could give no further answer.
RETURNS.
Several unopposed returns were granted.,
THE STEAMSHIP AUSTRIA.

Csl. SYKES, in moving for a copy of the reports of
the E set India Company's surveyors on the screw steam-
shi' upon which she was engaged for the con-
veyance of troops to India, complained of the misrepre-
sentations which had been made respecting that vessel.
He said she was a new vessel of 2,335 tons, and built and
fitted out at Greenock. Her engines weremade by Messrs.
Caird and Co., of that place, men of high repute in their
profession. The vessel had a British register, and her
o wner was a naturalised British subject. Bef ire being
taken up as a transport to India she was surveyed by the
East India Company's engineer, as were her engines by
the assistant to the chief engineer at Woolwich Dock-
yard, and the reports which those gentlemen made of
her were entirely satisfactory. The troops embarked at
Cork, and thence the vessel sailed on the sth October.
When in the Bay of Biscay she encountered one of
those storms so common there. She was struck by a
sea which swept her decks, broke down and carried
away her bulwarks fore and aft, and compelled her to
put back to Plymouth for repairs. Oa examination
there her engines were found to lee unharmed, and after
the ship had undergone the necessary repairs she again
proceeded on her voyage. She experienced another
storm, however, and unfortunately in the midst of it a
part of her engines gave way. Tae result was that the
piston of the engine went through the bottom of the
cylinder, and the vessel thus becoming perfectly help-
less was towed back to Plymouth a second time. It had
been sated that the authorities at the India-house
ordered that a spare dock should be added to the vessel
for the increased accommodation of the troops. The
very reverts) of that was the case. That proposition
emanated from the owners of the ship, but the Com-
pany's surveyor; refused their permission, and happily
so, for the sea that first struck the vessel in the Bay of
Biecay would probably have swept into the sea the whole
20n or 300 soldiers who would have occupied that tem-
porary spare deck, (Hear.) He thought when the house
was in possession of the ret alas for which he was about
to move, it would see that not a shadow of blame was
attributable to the India -house in the matter. This
was scarcely the occasion, or he should certainly have
offered some severe comment upon the loose manner in
which eubjects were otters investigated before they were
publicly discussed. The: hon. member concluded ley
moving fi,r the reports :are edy alluded to.
S;r kVILLIA NI FRASER said, having had an op.
pertunity of going on 'Heard the vessel in question on her
first return to Plym•euth, after she had been newly
wrecked in the Bay of Decay, he wished to state briefly
to the hcusie what he, observed on that occasion, He
did not profess to 'ewe .any great knowledge of ship.
building, but no one could have seen the state of the
vessel without being c(pnvinced that she was not at all a
ship in whioh to trust one of her Majesty's regiments on
a long vor.ga to India, (Hear.) There was hardly a