The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-09 00:00:00

ARMY CHAPLAINS' BILL.

Lord LONGFORD moved the second reading of this
bill. It had been found necessary to appoint army chap-
lains in certain districts, and the parochial clergy objected
to those chaplains that, though they were the officers of
the Crown, they were in reality intruders. By
a late decision in favour of the parochial
clergy this had been found to be so, and
the present bill proposed to make these military chaplains
extra parochial, and thus with the consent of
the bi-hop of the diocese do away with the
objection. The most reverend primate had con-
sented to the bill, and it was to meet these exigencies that
the bill was framed.
The Bishop of GLOUCESTER said that in absence of
the most rev. primate he would suggest that it would be
more desirable that the question should be referred to a
Select Committee. _

-----
The Earl DE GREY and RIPON said that the army
chaplains were officers of the Crown, and therefore he did
not think that they ought to be under the control of the
bishop of the diocese.
The Bishop of LONDON suggested that it would be
advisable to have a committee of the whole house on the
bill.
Lord LONGFORD said, that the bill had already been
fully considered, and he thought that it would be advisable
that it should be read a second time.
The bill was then road a second time.
The lordships then adjourneC.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—This DAY.
The SrEAXER took the Chair at 12 o'clock.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH BILL.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the
second reading of this bill, winch was to enable the Go-
vernment to acquire the electric telegraphs, and working
them in connection with that of the Post-office. It would
take between three and four millions of money to pur-
chase existing rights, and if the principle of the bill was
affirmed he should bring in a money bill to provide for the
purchase money. lie proposed to make use of the money
deposited in the Post-office savings banks as far as was
consistent, and also to raise money on terminable
annuities at 29 years, aa I also soma of the
money would be raised on bills and bonds, in
order that the Post-offize savings bellies might not
be in the least inconvenienced. The surplus profit of the
arrangement would amount to £210,000 per annum, and
that taken at 31 per cent. would ba quite sufficient to pay
off the whole cost in 20 years. lie thought the greatest
;•üblic aclvanta ;a would result from the arrangement, and
therefore he hoped the house would agree to the second
reading of the bill.
daythe six
most dangerous descrip-
tion, Mr. LEEMAN moved, as an amendment, that the bill
b
months. He contended
h
he hoped the house would not for a
moment couuteuance. It had been said that the public
tt ieoatthe read a
and secondone
proposal
waswhich time
o thate
of
and the press would benefit by the bill, but he con-
tended it would result in no such thing. The public
at
present
and, as for the press, it
alreadyreceived
sup-
posing they were to bec )me possessed of the telegraphs
could give them. The petitions that had been got up in
were
s, well
great served
privilegesved ;
as the post-office,
favour of the bill had all boon instigated by the post-office,
and did not at all show the real feeling of the
public press on the matter. As far as the general public
was concerned he did not think that they would much
r
epprociate an arrangement by which every telegram they
might receive would be placed in the hands of the Go-
vernment. They must all recollect the outburst of
indignation when Sir James Graham opened the
letters of Mazzini, and now at it was proposed
to do the same thing on a large scale he hoped
the house would step in an I prevent such a thing being
done. Ile contended that the objects of the bill were en-
tirely opposed to the instincts of the national character of
the people of England, who, he believed, he was correct in
saying
did notappreciate the mode of working the telegraphs
adopted on the Continent. Abroad it was impossible to
send a telegraph without its first having been submitted
to the Government authorities, whilst in Paris no less
than four copies of every telegram were made and for-
warded to each of the bureaux. The proposal, he felt
justified in saying, was most repugnant to the feelings of
the general public,
who were not yet quite agreeable
that everything that was either done or contemplated
should be conned over and considered by any Govern-
ment. The telegraph companies had acted most liberally
to the public, the public were satisfied, and therefore he
hoped the house would reject the bill. It might bo thought
that he had an interest in the matter, but ha begged to as-
sure the house that he was in no way connected with
any of the great telegraph companies, but that he had
taken up the matter purely on public grounds, being per-
suaded that the bill was one opposed to the feelings and
interests of the people generally—(hear, hear)—as he did
not believe that the sole object of the Government was
to reduce the present charge to an uniform telegraphic rate
of one shilling. After a reconsideration of the whole of
the circumstances connected with the bill, instead of
moving the rejection of the measure, he would, with the
permission of the house, substitute for his motion the pro-
posal that the bill be referred to a select committee.
Sir S. NOR'I'HCOTE said the speech of the hon. mem-
ber for York was entitled to the most serious attention of
the Government, but it appeared to him that his argu-
ments were all in favour of the bill, though he took some
objection to the manner in which the subject bad been
treated. To say that the measure was hastily brought
forward was not correct, and doubtless, it was the
desire to defeat the bill that could be accomplished, but it
appeared to him the most straightforward course would
be to take the opinion of the house on the second
reading of the bill. It was said that the small
traders would be sacrificed for large capitalists,
that he did not believe, the more so, as precisely the same
arguments had been used when it was at first proposed to
introduce the penny postage system.
Mr. CRAWFORD said • he was placed in a position
of some difficulty, because it was said the mea-
sure was brought forward to benefit the trading
community. He was interested in two ways in the matter,
and therefore, though he could not vote for the rejection
of the bill, he would readily support a motion, the
object of which was to have a thorough investiga-
tion of the whole subject. He would like to know
whether the Government were to have a complete mono-
poly in the matter, and if they were going to undertake
to report for the newspapers. Ho did not think, had such
an arrangement been in operation, the speeches of the right
hon. member for South Lancashire would be reported at
such length as those of the right hon. the leader of the
house. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LIDDELL was in favour of the subject being
thoroughly considered b a select committee.
Mr. CLADS TONE said there were various matters
that might be urged with great effect in favour of the bill,
and amongst them the fact that the whole of the telegraphs
were to be managed by one department, which would be a
great saving of expense, but there were other circumstances
that called for their most careful consideration before
they gave their assent to a proposal, such as that now be-
fore the house. Before any positive opinion was
expressed on the measure, it seemed to Lam to be
absolutely necessary - that there should be more in-
vestigation. of thesubject than there had been.
There were various other matters that created much
difficulty in his mind; and one, an old Woman's super-
stition it might be, was, whether it was perfectly clear
that all political iiatelligence, especially on the eve of a
general election, could with safety be placed in the
hands of Government. Ile was not so certain upon that
point, and therefore he wanted more light and knowledge.
It might be said that manyof the fears that had been expressed
were groundless, but there was a matter that he confessed
he looked upon with some degree of anxiety, and that was
the provisions that were to be taken with regard to pri-
ority of political intelligence, that matter might on some
occasions bo of the greatest political importance—(hear,
hear)—and at all events more information was required on
that as well as on other points, he should vote for the bill
being referred to a select committee.
Mr. AYRTON was addressing the house against the
bill when the sitting of the house was suspended.
The house resumed at six o'clock.
EX-GOVERNOR E YRE.
Mr. LAMONT asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether her lgaiesty's Government now considered that
the criminal prosecution against /slr. Eyre was con-
cluded, and whether they were prepared to defray the
legal expenses idr. Eyre had incurred in defending him-
self.
Mr. DISRAELI could not give an opinion to the first
part of the question, but after the indictment was thrown
out the Secretary of State had written to Ex-Governor
Eyre, asking him the amount of the expenses he had been
put to.
Mr. LAMONT asked whether Mr. Eyre would be pro-
tected against further prosecutions of the Jamaica
Committee.
Mr. DISRAELI said he could give no answer to a
hypothetical question.
Mr. LAMONT said he should not bring forward his
motion on the subject that evening-, but postpone it until
Friday next.

(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.

Mr. CHILDERS asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
for how many months of the prosont financial year it was
intended to take the remaining votes in supply, including
those to be reported this day ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was
intended to take the supplies for the whole of the year.
(Hear, hear.) That course had been taken when a go-