The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-20 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—THIS EVENING.
The Spraxmt took the Chair at 4 o'clock.
NEW WRITS.

On the motion of Colonel TAYLOR new writs wore
ordered to issue for Lincolnshire, Eastern Division of
Kent, and Radnorshire, in the place of Sir J. Trollope,
Sir B. Bridges, and Sir J. Walsh, called to the House of
Peers.
A new writ was also ordered to issue fur Leominster, in
the room of the Hon. A. Walsh.
REGIMENTAL COURTS-MARTIAL.
Sir P. O'BRIEN said he had learned that, since he had
placed his question on the paper relative to the case of a
sergeant-major of the Grenadier Guards, that substantial
justice had been done, and ho should therefore withdraw
his question.
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Mr. SMOLLETT called the attention of the house to
the very unsatisfactory manner in whick certain joint
stock companies had for the last eight years performed the
functions entrusted to them of supplying irrigation to
public lands in India from their own funds, so far as the
pecuniary results of their operations have been com-
municated to Parliament. The hon. gentleman took
the opportunity of referring to the subject of the negotia-
tions which had taken plane on the part of the Govern-
ment with a view to the purchase of stock of the East
Indian Irrigation Company at par, when, according
to the honourable member, the market value of
the stock was 25 per cent. dis. It was quite
true he said that the offer had been refused, but that he
believed was solely occasioned by the hope that still yet
far more bettor terms might be obtained. The subject of
Indian Irrigation was in the Madras Presi-
dency most inordinately misrepresented, and, with
a view of showing the way the thing was
worked, he would just refer to the Madras Gazette, which
published the amount expended by one set of irrigation
works in that country at 23,000, and set down the profit
received at the rate of 664 per cent. and 720 per cent. per
annum. lie was astonished at that state of things, and
on sending to Madras to ascertain whether those figures
were true or false, ho received an answer that the
whole thing was a gross exaggeration. lie strongly con-
demned the practice in Government lending money for the
purpose of jobbery in irrigation works, by such com-
panies as the Madras Irrigation \Yorks, and the East
India Irrigation 'Works the former of which
collapsed after no more public money could be got, and
the stock of the latter was almost unmarketable ; at least
such was the position before the Government offer was
made. The hon. gentleman concluded by moving,
" That the system adopted by the late Secretary of
State for India, Viscount Halifax, and continued by the
present Secretary of State fur India, of supporting iu their
present position these companies of adventurers in enter-
prises unsustained by private credit through moans of
enormous grants of public money drawn from the Indian
Treasury is impolitic, and should be discontinued."
Sir S. NORTIICAE could not assent to such a reso-
lution. It was not to bo expected that works of irriga-
tion were undertaken for the advantage of all, and it
was net to be expected that the return would
all at once repay the cost. He thought in the long run
they would prove highly remunerative, although they
would not realise the sanguine expectations of their
promoters. lie felt that tke greatest advantage would
result in India from a properly planned system of irriga-
tion. His opinion now was that guarantees to Indian
companies should be altogether done away with, but
with respect to the irrigation works in Orissa and
Madras they were in a state that would produce the best
possible effect. With respect to the first undertaking
be did not think the hon. gentleman imputed jobbery to
Lord Do Grey and the Indian Council, but if an error of
judgment had boon committed the hoe. gentleman had a
perfect right to iiold his own opinion. With respect
to what had been done in Orissa, ho thought that
they had been the means of alleviating much of the
misery which existed during the famine. Then as far as
regarded Behar the company held the concession for a
great work, and being without the means of doing it they
were just in the position of keeping others from doing
it. The company proposed to wait until they
had a return from the works at Orissa be-
fore they went on with the works at Behar,
but :the Government of India, thinking that not a satisfac-
tory arrangement, wrote requesting the Govern-
ment to make certain overtures to the com-
pany. In all that the Government had done,
they had acted within the recommendation of the Gover-
nor-General of India. The offer made to the company to
purchase their works was solely for the benefit of India, and
because they seemed totally unable to carry on the works
—the Government altogether objecting to grant a guaran-
tee. He could see nothing in the proposition that had been
made which merited the condemnation the hon. member
had been pleased to pass on the Government. All they
had done was to offer to a sot of gentlemen the money
they had spent in the construction of their works, with
£50,000 for winding up their establishment. The works
were constructed for the general benefit., and although
they were not at first so highly remunerative as was ex-
pected, yet the erection of the works would be, and at no
distant date, one of the greatest benefits that could be con-
ferred on India.

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

BOAT RACE FOR £loo—This Day.

A sculler's race in outriggers for £5O aside took
place this afternoon over the short course from
Putney to Mortlake, between Mark Addy, a lands-
man, of Manchester, and John Pedgrift, also a
landsman, of Surbiton-on-Thames. The princi-
pal condition was, that Addy should allow
his opponent two lengths' start, and should
himself receive £lO expenses for coming to London
to row. The proceedings in the late championship
fiasco had put the backers of the men on the alert,
and the arrangements were left entirely in the hands
of the editor of Bell's Life, who was to appoint
starter and referee, from whose decision there
should be no appeal. The difficulty at first
experienced about starting was got over
by the competing boats being hell by men in
skiffs until the signal was given to start. Large
numbers of persons were present to witness the
race, both ashore and afloat, and more than an
usual amount of interest was centred in the event,
from the fact that Addy had been trained by Kelley
and Pedgrif t by the Sadlers.

Pedgrift had the best station : 2 to 1 on Addy.
John Phelps, of Putney, was !starter and referee.
After a false start they got away smartly,
Pedgrift having about a length and a quarter
start, instead of two, as specified. The wind
was high and the labour severe. Addy gradually
caught his man, was level at Simmons's, and at the
Loudon Boat House was a length ahead. This he
increased, and, aided by Pedgrift nearly running
into a barge at the Soap Works, won easily, al-
though Pedgrift spurted well and came up towards
the end.

WILLIAM CIIAMBERS, the Lord Provost of Edin-
burgh, is preparing his Autography, which will appear
towards the close of the present year, on hie giving up
cam