The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-05 00:00:00

FOREIGN OFFICE AGENCIES.

According to a parliamentary Paper just issued,
there appears to
Ike a difference of opinion between
the Foreign Office and the Treasury with respect to the
claims of the Foreign-office agents. The Lords of the
Treasury did not concur in the views expressed by Lord
Stanley, that those agents would have a just claim
to compensation if the system of agency were abolished,
and therefore it became necessary for his lordship to deter-
mine what steps it might be possible to take with a view
to the eventual abolition of that system. Lord Stanley,
however, is still of opinion that a system which for more
than three-quarters of a century has, after repeated
and full inquiry, been sanctioned by successive
Secretaries of State must be held to have acquired such a
degree of admitted permanency as to entitle those clerks
who have been engaged in carrying it on to look upon
it as a recognised source of emolument, and to expect com-
pensation if on public grounds it should be decided to
put an end to it. Under existing circumstances his lord-
ship does not seem to be prepared to direct an abso-
lute and immediate prohibition of the system, but lays
down the following rules for its abolition, when the in-
terests which have grown up under it shall have been ex-
tinguished. First, that no clerk or other person
connected with the Foreign Office, except such as are at
the date of this minute (June 24, 1868) acting as agents,
shall hereafter, directly or indirectly, undertake to act as
such for ally of her Majesty's diplomatic or consular
agents ; secondly, that, looking to the possibility of some
arrangement being hereafter made for abolishing agencies
on a grant of compensation, the emoluments derived by
an agent from any person who should enter the service
after the date of this minute, should not be taken
into account in estimating the amount of compensation
to be granted to an agent on a general abolition of the
system.

THE REPOT OF THE IRISH CHURCH

COMMISSION.

The report of the Established Church (Ireland) Coin-
missioners was laid on the table of both Houses on the
day of prorogation of Parliament. The Dublin, Eapress
believes the following aro the material points of the
report. The Commissioners recommend a re-arrange-
ment and a reduction in the number of dioceses, and of the
incomes of the bishops, except in the case of Cork.
They propose to reduce the number of sees to eight,
by distributing the united dioceses of Cashel, KU-
more, Meath, and li!lledoe, amongst the adjoin-
ing roes. There was a difference of opinion as to
whether there should be two archbishops, or whether
Armagh ale ne should Le retained. They propose that t'•re
Lord Primate shall have a clear income cf .£6,000 a -year ;
the diocesan of Dublin, if an archbishop, £5,000, if only a
bishop, 4500 ; and all the rest £3,000, with £3OO
extra for those 'a ho have to attend in the House of Lords.
They would abolish all the cathedral establishments
except those attached to the eight sees which are retained
St. Patrick's is to be the ono preserved for Dublin. They
would re-organise the cathedral staffs, and retain only two
vicars choral, with a choir of laymen, in each. The salaries
of the eight deans they would fix at £l,OOO a year each
except St. Patrick's, to whom they would allow £1,200.
The cathedrals of the merged sees they would calved into
parish churches. They would reduce the number of arch-
deacons to not more than two for each diocese, and allow
them to be chosen from anyliving to be paid.£loo a year for
their services, and to be removable upon the appointment
of a new bishop. It is raid that considerable encouragement
will be given to tenants under Church lease to purchase the
perpetuity, a lower scale being recommended. It is recom-
mended that unconverted Church leaseholds be vested in the
commissioners. Holders of land subject to tithe rent will
be enabled to redeem them. Incumbents aro to be relievea
of the management of the globe lands, except a limited portion
necessary for their own use. The increased duties hulosed
upon the Ecclesiastical Commissioners will nccessarilylavolvo
a reconstruction of that body, and it is said that recommenda-
tions to that effect and to include a larger proportion of the lay
element aro embodied in the report. There are also some
suggestions as to savings to be effected by having the Sacra-
mental elements no longer provided, or parish clerks paid
by the Commissioners, and for a readjustment of the Church
revenues amongst the incumbents to be effected by the sus-
pension of livings which are practically sinecures, and by
imrosing an increased tax upon livings where the income is
large, and the Church population small. It is understood
that the clergy will be exempted from the payment of visi-
tation fees.

We regret to announce the death of the Earl of
Shannon, which took place on Saturday at Dr. Darter's
establishment, Blarney.

THE JUDGES' CHAMBERS. --Mr. Justice Black-
burn is still the vacation judge at chambers. Mr. Justice
Hannen will be " due" a week after the last commission
day at Liverpool, on Tuesday next.

It is expected that the harvest will be completed
in the South of England by the end of this week. The
yield of wheat will be about ten sacks an acre, nearly
double that of last year, and a third more than the
average.

THE NEW GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA--Mr. DU
Cane left England on Tuesday for llobart Town, Tas.
mania, of which colony he has accepted the governorship.
He proceeded from Southampton in one of the Royal
West India Mail steam packets, and the Hon. Mrs. Du
Cane and family will follow him subsequently.

A memorial praying for commutation of the sen-
tence of death passed upon Lucy Buxton for the murder of
her child has been forwarded to the Home Secretary, but
we believe that no answer has yet been received thereto.
Therefore, in all probability, the law will be carried out to
its fullest extent next Friday.

With regard to the accident at Manchester, the
Courier states that, of the eleven persons injured iy the Fad
occurrence, and who were conveyed to the Royal Infirmary,
two or three of them have sufficiently recovered to be able
to leave the institution. The remainder of the injured are
progressing favourably. There is only ono case iu which
doubts of recovery are cnic:tained.

311 SS MEETING CF YORKSHIRE MINERS.—no
annual meeting of the Miners' Association for the Meth.
ley, Adwalton, and Leeds district was held on Hunslet
Moor on Tuesday. The statement of accounts presented
sheaved a decline in the contributions and a reduction on
the balance in hand,.which is represented by 1:1,2S0. A
decrease in the membership is also reported. Mr..l.
Holmes, Mr. Macdonald (the well-known miners' agent),
and others addressed the meeting, which was very largely
attended.

MILITARY SUBSTITUTES IN RUSSIA.--TIC Em.
peror of Russia has just sanctioned a new regulation foi
pro\Tiding military substitutes, similar to that which ex
isted in France until the passing of the late Army BilL
Henceforth the individuals who wish to be exempted Emu
serving pay a sum of money to the Government, which or
its side will furnish the men and remunerate them. The
p: ice of exoneration for the year 18C9 is fixed a! 671
roubles (4f, each.) The system 14 to be taied for a periu
of AIT YOU&

TII 1;1 LATE EDITION of " THE SUN" at
w. smiTirs Camden Stores," 73, Park-street, Camden

to 'ff 4.