The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-24 00:00:00

I aPERIAL PAR LI A BIEN I

HOUSE OF LORDS—Tors EVENING.

The LORD CitiNcELLon, took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
ELECTRIC TELEGRIPHS BILL.

The Duke of MONTROSE moved the second reading
of this bill, which was to place the electric tele-
graph under the control of the Government and
the Post-office. It was objected to by some be-
cause it was so unusual a circumstance to take a
matter of this kind • out of the hands of private
enterprise and to place it under one direction, but
those objections had now disappeared. In 1854 Mr.
Ricardo had written a letter on the subject to Mr. Glad-
stone. Many petitions had been presented, amongst others
255 from newspapers, especially the provincial ones.
It was, felt that the existing charges were too high, and
that the facilities for being enabled to send messages was
too limited. From the reception of English tele-
grams through the Post-office it would bo a great
advantage, and would give a large revenue to the Go-
vernment. In foreign countries the telegraphic commu-
nication was in the hands of the State, and the
telegraph was not half so much made use of here
as there. It was found that it was not used by
the general public, but in Switzerland it was used
for the communication of private and domestic
affairs, and in Belgium it was so also. By giving great
facilities it would come into greater use in England,
The scale of charges abroad were much less than
here. The Post-office authorities. have greater fa-
cilities than any other body. They had agents,
in almost every. place, and each post-office could thus be
made a telegraph-office. There were about 2,009 towns
&c, in which they had. money or order offices,
mind where they should have telegraphic communication.
They found that 850 places had no telegraphs at all.
At the present time tha telegraphs were at the
railway stations, and they did not go into t
town, and it necessitated a person going to the
station. This by the bill would of course be abolished
and the payment would b) lessened, because
p.trteragi would 133 done away with. The po ,t-
-office was generally in the middle of the town, and the
postmen could deliver the telegrams. The arrangement
with the press was, that the p,pers should choose their
own news which was to go, and that they should pay for
the message, but, of course, at a reduced rate.
The press was perLetly satisfied, and the objections hal
been done away with. Auy person revealing the tele-
graphic incesage would b 3 considered as guilty of a breach
of secresy, and be putlisaed as for a misiemeanour.

The bill was then read a second time.
(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tins EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair xt 2 o'clock.

THE CLERKEN WELL DEIIONSTRA.TION.
Sir C. RUSSELL asked the Secretary of State fur the
Home Department whether it was known to the police
authorities that the person of the name of James
Finlen, who introduced a deputation on Saturday,
last to the right hon. member for South Lanca-
shire, and who afterwards presided at a meeting
in Hyde Park on Sunday, "to advocate the destruction of
the Irish Church," at which a mock Litany was recited,
was the person who was recently a paid advocate at a
place in Leicester-square, called the Judge and Jury So.
cieiy ; and whether Finlen was dismissed from that mil-
plopuent, es unworthy of his associates ?
Mr. HARDY said the matter referred to in the question
did not come within his province, and therefore he offi-
cially knew nothing of the matter.
kr. GLADSTONE said he should like to say that he
knew nothing of the person named Finlen further than
that he accompanied a deputation, and that he was a par-
son who took a part iu the reform agitation; further than
that he knew not.hicg.
Sir C. RUSSELL hoped the right hon. gentleman would
not think that he supposed he aid. Hu only asked the
question to prevent that individual using the weight that
attached to his (Mr. Gladstone's) name for his own personal
purposes.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS BILL.
On the motion for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. FAWCETT moved that the bill be re-committed,
with a view of reintroducing a clause throwing the
expenses of candidates on the ratepayers. Ha disclaimed
all intention, by adopting the course ho did, to peril the
passing of the bill.

Mr. (ISRAELI hoped the hon. member would not per-
severe in attempting to impede the progress of the bill
by pressing his motion. It would, in fact, be to peril alto-
gether the passing of the bill, and he disclaimed altocr,ettier
that anythiLg was done during the former discussion not
justified by the rules of the house.
Mr. LEEMAN and Mr. HOPE were in favour of the
motion.

Mr. HENLEY thought that it was useless to fritter
away the time in needliss discussion, and the best thing to
be done was to read the bill a third time, if they were
really iu earnest to deal with bribery. He thought it was
rather a dirty thing for a candidate to do to ask the rate
payers, who already had quite enough to contend with, to
pay the expenses of his election. (dear, hear.)
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the recommittal of the bill
Against it

Majority in favour of Government... 11.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
REGULATION OF RAILWAYS BILL.
The house then went into committee on this
bill, the object of which is to improve the
arrrangements for travelling on railways. Various
amendments were proposed, the most important of which
was that of fixing the time to three moutns ufter the
passing of the act when means of bounnunicatiou should
be made between passengers and guards in all trains run-
ning 20 miles without stopping.

Another amendment agreed to, was the giving to com-
panies power to divide ordinary stock into two classes.
The consideration of the other amendments to the bill
occupied up to seven o'clock, at which hour the sitting
was suspended.