The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-24 00:00:00

MAIL SERVICE TO FRANCE.

Mr. TAYLOR -asked the .Secretary to the Treasury
whether there was any foundation for the report that the
Government were in negotiation with Mr.Churchward in
respect of a new contract for the mail service to Franco ?
Mr. HUNT—No, sir, none whatever. (Laughter.)
INDIA IRRIGATION.
Mr. SMOLLETT asked the Secretary of State for In-
dia whether, with reference to the statement made by the
the then Under-Secretary, on the 15th May, 1866, that a
sum of £600,000 was about to be lent to the Madras Irri-
gation Co., on debentures, he was prepared to state what
sums had been so advanced ; upon what terms the advance
was made; what was the state of account with that com-
pany at the present date, and whether any net revenue
had accrued from the work. And whether the chairman
and directors of that company are paid for their labours ;
if so, by whom ?

Sir S. NORTHCOTE said it was true a grant
had been made to the Madras Irrigation Com-
pany for the prosecution of certain works in that
country. The sum had been advanced at the rate
of 5 per cent., and it was to form a first charge on the
revenues of the company. There was also an understand-
ing that if the works should not be completed in five
years they should be handed over to the Government on
terms to be agreed upon. The sum of £llB,OOO had been
already advanced, and the works were going on satis-
factorily.

METRIC SYSTEM.
Mr. EWART obtained leave to bring in a bill for the
introduction of the metric system of weights and measures
into this country.

OYSTER FISHERIES.
Mr. S. CAVE obtained leave to bring in a bill to carry
into effect a convention between her Majesty and the
Emperor of the Freneli coucerning the fisheries in the seas
adjoining the British Isles and France, and to amend the
laws relating to British sca fisheries.
COAL AND WINE DUTIES.

On the motion that the house go into committee, to
order that the chairman might be directed to move the
house that leave be given to bring in a bill to continue and
appropriate the London coal and wine duties,
Mr. LABOUCHEIt•I) asked whether the bill was iden-
tical with the one introduced last year. lie did not think
that a proposal to extend the coal and wine duties from
1882 to 1888, and to borrow money on that security,
was a plan that would be approved of. It
was submitted to the house by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. He thought the very rich parish of St. George's,
Hanover-square, ought to have carried out the improve-
ments in their own locality, such a measure as the one
proposed being highly necessary. If the bill was the same
as that to which he had referred, he took that opportunity
of announcing that he should give it his most strenuous
opposition, and otherwise do his best to secure the rejec-
tion of the measure.

GAS COMPANIES.
Mr. AYTON moved that all bills relating to gas com-
panies in the metropolis be referred to a select committee
of 10 members, five to be nominated by the committee of
selection.

The motion was agreed to.
COURT OF SESSION (SCOTLAND)
The LORD ADVOCATE obtained leave to introduce
a bill to amend the procedure in the Court of Session, and
the judicial arrangements in the superior courts of
Scotland.
[LETT SITTING].

Foreign Mail Packet List,

MAILS DUE.

A. ustralla and New Zealand, via Southampton March 28.
Ditto, via Marseilles .... ......March 22.
Ditto, via Panama • . Feb. 28.
Brazil, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video March 5.
Ditto, by French packet F,b. 22
Cape Verde, by Brazil packet ...... _ March 5.
Cape of Good Hope. Ascension. and. St. lielena Feb. 27
China. Penang. and Singapore, via Southampton March 5.
Ditto, via Marseilles ....Feb. 27
Falkland Islands Maroh 5.
Gibraltar, via Southampton Feb. 25
..
India,via Southampton ...... Feb. D.
Ditto, via Marseilles
Malta, Egypt, &O.
Ditto, Marseilles.. Feb. 22.
Mauritius, Cape of Good Hope, and Natal. via
Southampton March 21
Ditto, Marseilles March 15.
Newfoundland ...... .... ....... ...... .• • • March 11.
Portugal
Ditto, by pr iv Lie ship to Oporto ...
Ditto r itto to Lisbon
United States, l anada, California, &e., by British
packet - Feb. 21.
Ditto, by L Lited States packet
Ditto ditto 'New York)
Ditto ditto Ntw York)

Ditto ditt( (Baltimore) .
Ditto, by Canadian packet ... .. Feb 21.
Wet Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Tenerlife ...... March 1_
West Indies and l'aMfie (except 51exica and Baha-
mas)
Cuba and Mexico •.. .. Feb. 23.
Bahamas, via New Y. - - Naarch 2.
Bermuda, via Halifax .