The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THis EVENING.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
st are o'clock.
THE LATE WAR IN CHINA.
The LORD CHANCELLOR read letters from Major-
General Mitchell and Admiral Hope, acknowledging the
thanks of their
iordships for the services rendered by the
army and navy n the north of China.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Duke of Sutherland's Estate Bill was read a second
time.
The Great Western Railway, Simpson's Hospital Estate,
and Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith Railway Bills
were read a third time and passed.
ASSIMILATION OF CRIMINAL TO CIVIL
PROCEDURE.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Mr. Ben-
jamin Blondell, praying that accused persons in criminal
charges might be admitted as witnesses on their own be-
half. The noble lord at some length showed the peculiar
state of the law as it at present existed on the subject.

EAST INDIA ,(HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE)

BILL.

Earl DE GREY and RIPON moved the second reading
of this bill, the object of which was to unite the chief
courts of judicature in Calcutta, Madras, and Bom-
bay into one court, with power to deal with all
the subjects coming under the consideration of the
old tribunals. The effect of amalgamation would
be to improve the administration of justice in
India, and the scheme had received the approbation of
the most eminent men in India, and amongst them Sir
Edward Ryan and Sir T. Halliday. By the bill then under
consideration the Supreme Court and the Suddar Court
would be abolished, and instead thereof a new court to be
called the Nigh Court of Judicature would be established
as the old Supreme Court Ihad been, namely, by Royal
Charter, and the qualification of the judges would remain
the same as at present, namely, that they should have been
barristers of five years' standing.
Lord:BROUGHAM said the bill was a most impor-
tant one, and therefore claimed their most serious consi-
deration. The sixth clause gave the power to the Indian
Government to interfere with the salaries of
the judges, and he thought such a proposition
was most objectionable. It was an entirely novel propo-
sition, and one which he most strongly objected to.
Earl DE GREY said the clause did not affect the exist-
ing judges ; it only applied to those who might here-
after be appointed. He would however take care
that the objections of the noble and learned lord were well
considered.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH thought the bill had
better be referred to a select committee, as at present he
thought it was a most objectionable one.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

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HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAT.)
The SPEAKER was in attendance at 12 o'clock, but a
house was not formed until afterwards.

SUPPLY.
The house went into supply,committeeof
The following votes were agreed to : _E_O,O9 to com-
plete a sum of £125,028 for the Treasury chest, £5,000 for
the Zambesi expedition, £5,000 to complete a sum of
£7,000 for the Niger expedition, £2,000 for the exploration
of the North-Western province of Australia, £21,400 to
complete the sum of £50,000 for the support of captured
nerethe vote for consuls at inland towns in Europe,
Mr. DODSON thought that the consuls at Leipsic,
Frankfort, Ghent, and Seville ought to be abolished, and
with regard to the consul at Paris that they should adopt
the same course which they pursued at Madrid, by ap-
pointing a Secretary to the Legation. He thought also
that as the consulate at Milan was a mere sinecure, i t
should be done away with.
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was intended to abolish the
consulate at Ghent. It was intended to give the consulate
at Paris at the end of the term of the present consulate to
the librarian of the embassy, who would continue attached
to the embassy. He reminded the house that generally
speaking they could not receive complete or satisfactory
accounts, with regard to the affairs of the continent, with-
out the assistance of diplomatic agents, and that being the
case the services rendered by consuls and vice-consuls be-
came of the greatest importance. The consul at Moscow
supplied the Government with valuable intelligence in re-
spect to central Russia, and the same remark applied to the
consul ar Warsaw. The consul at Milan was not intended
to be made a permanent officer, but considering the changes
that had recently taken place in Italy it was not expedient
that the office should be done away with at present. As
regarded Seville, the consulate there was not considered by
Governmen;necessary, and would accordingly be abo-
lished on the first opportunity that presented itself. With
regard to Turkey, hon. members should reeollect that all
the Powers in Europe had consuls in that country, who
exercised political functions. He might here observe that
the less the consuls interfered in the political affairs of that
country the more desirable it would be. He would remark
generally that the retrenchment in regard to consulates
might prove the very worst economy.
Mr. WHITE considered that the explanation of the
noble lord was not satisfactory. The establishment of these
consulates was a reflection on the efficiency of the diplo-
matic corps which had furnished some of the most valuable
'reports. He advocated the reduction of consulates, and
pointed to Germany as offering a field for that purpose, as
well as for retrenchment in the ambassadorial service.

Lord H. VANI said that he agreed with the last speaker
as to the efficiency of the diplomatic corps ; but it should
be remembered that they derived a great deal of their in-
formation from the consuls. (Hear, hear.) He would not
approve of increase in salaries or of these establishments,
but in the present state of Europe he did not think the time
had arrived for reduction in this depaitment of the public
service.

Mr. W. FOSTEIt thought it would be roost unadvisable
in the existing statoof Germany, both in regard to political
and trade considerations, to reduce the consular corps in
that part of Europe. Every other Power in Europe had
consuls there, and if this country were deprived of the assis-
tance of such a valuable agency it would be placed in a dis-
advantageous position as compared with other countries.
• Mr. FREELAND was in favour of the reduction in the
consulates, and complained of the inefficiency displayed in
that department.
Mr. S. FITZGERALD said that the suggestions of the
committee for the reduction in the department should be
carried out, but at the same time he would assure the house
that very little, if any, saving to the public expenditure
would be effected by reducing the consular department,
which was most inadequately reimbursed.
Mr. A. SMITH said they ought to look with consider-
able jealousy on new appointments, and he referred to the
consul recently appointed with a salary of £5OO a-year at
Reunion, where the value of the British imports last year
amounted to only £75. He concluded by moving that the
vote should be reduced by £2,300, the salaries of certain
consuls whose services he thought unnecessary.
After some further discussion,
Lord J. RUSSELL entered into an explanation to show
that the appointment of a consul at Reunion was desirable
in a political point of view. Some remarks had been made
with respect to some of the consuls being allowed to trade
and others prohibited doing so; the reason was very simple.
It would increase the estimates by a very large amount if
salaries were paid sufficiently adequate to all the consuls,
and, therefore, when the amount of trade was small, only a
smaller salary was paid, but when the trade was large then
was the corresponding salary in order to remunerate him
properly, and in these cases ho was not allowed to trade.
Mr. A. &mini ultimately withdrew the amendment,
and the vote was agreed to.
On the vote of £616,646 for services in China and Japan,
Col. SYKES explained that the salary of the Plenipo-
tentiary at Pekin was too large.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the salaries were very much
regulated by the size of the places. He was happy to say
that the accounts he had received from Pekin showed that
the English Plenipotentiaries were well received,
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote proposed was £30,000 for the extraordi•
—7exPenses of arnba:sadors at foreign courts.
4.:Lottarra I.fitewuwords from Mr. WILLu ms,
often derived SSELL said that important information was
that thereforefrtloa
m consuls in minor States in Germany, and
The vote wasea),' ought to be maintained.
The next item greed to.
tic outfits, and cony va40,000 for special missions, diploma-
Mr. A. SINIITiIe----4 ef colonial officers and others.
£20,000. Ix:loved that the item be reduced by
After some discussion the amendment was negatived, and
the item passed.
On the vote of £60,000, expenses of the North American
Boundary Commission, a discussion ensued, but it was
ultimately agreed to.
It was moved that £185,140 be voted for superannuation
and allowances of retiring public officers.
The house resumed before the item was agreed
The house adjourned at 4 o'clock, tut t •
resumed at 6
o'clock, and was

[LEFT SITTING.]

STAMI ORD RACES.—(This Day.)

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(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPII.)
ST. LEGER.

Lawyer ~,
Malta