The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-23 00:00:00

IMPE DIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.
THE TIPPERARY MILITIA ARTILLERY.

In reply to the Earl of DONOUGIIMORE,
Lord HERBERT said he had certainly ne cause to com-
plain either of the noble lord's motion or of the terms and
tone of his speech. When the offer was made to convert
the regiment of the Tipperary Militia into a brigade of the
Royal Artillery, he frankly stated to his noble friend tit:ke
difficulty in which he was placed, and which would oblige
him to abandon the scheme under consideration. He con-
fessed he had heard for the first time that night, that his
noble friend never contemplated that his officers should
belong to the Royal Artillery. He would refer him to his
letter of 1859, which, although it might certainly admit of
an interpretation consistent with his speech, that interpre-
tation—he said it on his honour—never before occurred to
him. His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, to
whom the letter was first sent, read it as he did, and was
doubtful whether it would be right to give the officers artil-
lery commissions, lest it should create discontent. Of the
men themselves he could speak in the highest terms of com-
mendation ; for, being at Chatham on one occasion, and
observing how free their conduct-book was of any traces
of crime, he inquired whether that arose from laxity of
discipline, or from really good conduct, and he was highly
gratified at being informed that it was the latter. (Hear,
hear.) Circumstances rendered it necessary to recur to the
proposition, and a negociation was entered into with a
view to determine the nature of the examination which the
militia officers should undergo previous to entering into the
artillery. There were some differences of opinion on the
subject, but he felt he could not be justified in lowering the
degree of the examinations, which ought necessarily to re••
late to artillery service and artillery duties. The proposition
could not eventually be entertained, for it would have given
rise to the most dangerous jealousy on the part of a talented,
highly qualified and susceptible body of men, some of whom
returning home after distinguished service in China, might
have found themselves commanded by an officer of the Tip-
perary Militia. Under these circumstances he felt that
they had made a blunder in going so far as they did, and
they preferred to avow it rather than endanger the public
service. With regard to the noble lord's suggestion, that
their decision was found3el on the resistance of the officers
of the service, he could only say that the statement was
altogether erroneous. The regiments were about to be dis-
embodied, and he was desirous of securing that body of
men. He then referred to a letter he had received from the
noble lord opposite, after which he put himself in commu-
nication with the Commander-in-Chief. He (Lord Her-
bert) felt that he had injured the prospects of the officers,
and he was anxious to make them any reparation in his
power, and the men who wished would be received into
other regiments. He had now stated the whole of the case
as far as required by the noble lord opposite. (Hear, hear.)
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE said he was quite ready to
take his share of the responsibility which fell to the Secre-
tary of State. The Secretary of State communicated to
him that there was not. a sufficiency of artillery at home.
On the Ist of April the militia were to be disembodied,
and he had made up his mind that if this admirable body
of men could be added to the Artillery, he was satisfied it
would be of great advantage to the public service. There
were 600 or 700 men, well trained, and fit to be sent to
any part of the United Kingdom. His Royal Highness
then read a document from Major-General Eyre, setting
forth the admirable conduct of the men of the Tipperary
Artillery, and their cheerful obedience to their officers, and
that it would be a great loss if such a body of men could
not be retained. Seeing, therefore, how well these men
had conducted themselves, he was of opinion it would be a
great advantage that such a body of well-trained men
could be added to the artillery service, as they were in
want of batteries in several parts of the United Kingdom.
The arrangement was, however, given up, and he was ready
to say that he had no desire to interfere with the practice
that the officers of the Artillery should be well educated
for their important duties. Still, in the case of the Tip •
perary Artillery he was very desirous of securing the ser-
vices of so fine a body of men. He was bound to say that
the officers of that regiment received the disappointment
with the utmost good temper.

After a few words from the Earl of DONOUGHMORE in
reply, the subject dropped.

CHURCH RATES.

The Duke of MARLBOROUGH, in rising to call the
attention of the house to the law relating to church rates,.
said he thought their lordships would agree with him in
thinking that it was now high time to endeavour to devise
some plan by which this long-vexed question might be
brought to a satisfactory conclusion. (Hear, hear.) The
committee of their lordships' house appointed the session
before last had given great attention to the subject, and
although there had been but little time for considering
the evidence laid before them, and the conclusions which
they had founded upon it, still it was satisfactory to know
that it had been the means of directing a large amount
of public attention to the question. Its influence on the
public mind, also, was seen in the fact that it had mate-
rially affected the majority in the other house, upon
the bill for the total abolition of church rates.
He might state one thing that came out before the com-
mittee of That house, which was that doing away with
church rates would be a great injury to the Church.
After referring to other portions of the evidence, he said
that after the decision their lordships had already come to
on this question, he thought he aright arrive at the con,
elusion that their lordships would not give their sanction
to any bill for the entire aboliti,u of church rates. As to
the objection entertained by the Dissenters, it was not
so much to the amount of the rate they objected as to the
oppression resulting from being brought into the Eccle-
siastical Courts. The noble duke then referred to the evi-
dence of Mr. Toulmin Smith before their lordships' corn-
mittee, portions of which he read at length. He proceeded
to say that ho meant to propose that the power should be
taken out of the Ecclesiastical Court as regarded enforcing
the payment of tithes, and that the power should be trans-
ferred to the common law courts. He would propose
this arrangement in the bill which he would lay on their
lordships' table, and he hoped it would be acceptable in
settling the question. He concluded by moving that the
bill should be read a first time.

The motion was then agreed to, and their lordships ad-
journed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
LOSS OF LIFE ON THE COASTS.
Mr. LIDDELL asked whether the Government had
prepared any Measure for encouraging or assisting
the construction of harbours of refuge on the coasts
of the Unied Kingdom ; and whether it was their
intention to bring the question before Parliament dur-
ing the present session, in accordance with' a' statement
to that effect made by the First Lord of the Treasury on
the 19th day of June last? The honourable member
drew attention to the numerous shipwrecks that had taken
place at Hartlepool, Shields, and elsewhere, and were ee-
-1
companiei with a great loss of life and property. He strongly
advocated the construction of Harbours of Refuge, which
he contended would ultimately prove economical in pre-
venting a vast yearly loss of lite and wealth.
Mr. SLANEY hoped that if Government took the ques-
tion of harbours of refuge into consideration, the unpro-
tected state of the Welsh coast would not be forgotten.
Mr. A. SMITH would be satisfied if the Government in-
timated its intention with respect to the parts of the coast
which had been alluded to by the hon. member for North-
umberland. He could not help calling the attention of the
Government to the expediency of employing the convict
labour of Portland in the construction of a harbour of re-
fuge on the north-eastern coast. He would take that op-
portunity of asking the noble lord the member for Hastings
(Lord H. Vane) whether it was his intention, as chairman
of the committee on miscellaneous expenditure last session,
to move for the re-appointment of that committee in com-
pliance with the recommendation in their report ?
Mr. BLAKE said that in the interests of humanity rather
than in those of his constituents, he must press upon the
Government the necessity of forming harbours of refuge on
the coast of II eland. The greater portion of English ship •
ping going up and *down Channel passed near Waterford,
which as a harbour of refuge would afford ample accommo-
dation for a large number of vessels. Many ships proceed-
ing from. America to Liverpool were wrecked off the Water-
ford coast, and yet by the outlay of a sum not exceeding
£50,000 great facilities might be given to afford shelter in
stormy weather at Waterford.
Lord PALM
hon. member ERSTON—I can assure the house that her
Majesty's
Government are fully sensible of the great
national importance attaching to the matter which the
has brought under our observation. (Hear;