The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-02 00:00:00

Lord ELIOT said that Major Palmer was an old and
distinguished officer. He had held his office for twenty-
three years, and no complaint had ever been made
against him. He would be entitled to no retiring
allowance, and the Government thought that the loss
of the office, the duties of which he had neglected, was
sufficient punishment for that neglect, without making
him destitute by depriving him of that office the duties
of which he had satisfactorily discharged.

Mr. EWART asked if it was the intention of the
Government to bring in a Bill for the regulation of
charities during the present session, and if it was likely
that any digest of the criminal law, founded on the
report of Mr. Justice Wightman, Mr. Sergeant Starkie,
and other eminent lawyers, was likely to be brought
forward.

Sir R. PEEL soli that with regard to the first point
his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the
Home Department had been in communication with the
Lord Chancellor on the subject of introducing a Bill.
Mr. HUME complained of the fees to Attorneys and
Solicitof-Generals. He understood that some of these
officers had received the enormous sum of 18,0001.
a-year. Now 5,0001. a-year would buy the best At-
torney-General that ever stood in Westminster-hall.
Mr. BARING had been always very hostile to fees,
but a Commission appinted by that House had recom-
mended the system of fees to these officers. He thought
a substitution of salaries for these fees would be very
advantageous to the public.
Sir R. PEEL expressed himself to a similar effect.
Colonel SIBTHORP wished to know what salary
was paid to Mr. Bulwer as ambassador to Madrid. He
(Colonel Sibthorp) was surprised that the Government
should have selected a person opposed to them in
politics for this important situation.
Sir R. PEEL said he must decline answering the
question. Mr. Bulwer was a highly talented gentleman,
and every way calculated for the situation in which he
had been placed. He (Sir R. Peel) did not think it was
the duty of the Government to look to party in making
such appointments as these, but rather to the capabili-
ties of the person to be appointed. It was upon these
considerations that Mr. Bulwer had been appointed, and
he was sure that no one could object to the appointment
on the ground of incapacity in the person appointed.;
The vote was then agreed to.
The sum of 112,1901. was then proposed to defray the
the expenses of public buildings, &e.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS objected to the vote. He found
that the average sum voted for this purpose for the last
five years, was 120,0001. The whole sum voted for the
whole five years, was 686,0001. for the expenses of
public parks, palaces, &c. He thought the Right Hon.
Baronet opposite would agree with him that proper
economy had not been observed, as this large sum had
increased year after year.
Lord LINCOLN said, it was not until lately that his
attention had been drawn to the subject of the parks.
He was surprised that the Hon. Gentleman could have
found fault with the expenditure upon the royal parks,
as they were entirely appropriated to the public accom-
molation. So far from the expense of the Parks being
on the increase, there was at present a decrease. It was
true, that in some of the metropolitan parks, the ex-
penses had been increased owing to the greater number
of persons who latterly visited them. Hampton Court
had been occupied by some Members of the aristo-
cracy, but still he thought that it would be wrong
if the Crown had not the power of appropriating
apartments to those persons, and the connections of
those persons, who had rendered eminent services to the
country, and who might be destitute of house and home.
But at the same time it should be remembered that in
this building there was a large suite of rooms, which were
solely appropriated to the public.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER said a large sum of money
would be likely to be expended upon removing 'the
buildings in St. James's Park on the side of St. James's-
street.
Dr. BOWRING complained of the item of 3001. being
expended upon a Government building in the Isle of
Wight. He thought they ought to be allowed to manage
their own financial affairs, and then they would be wil-
ling to pay such expenses as those now sought to be in-
cluded in the estimates.
In reply to a question from Mr. EWART,
Lord LINCOLN said that the proposed improvements
in the locality between the Regent's-park and Primrose-
hill had been retarded in consequence of the negotiations
pending with Eton College.
Mr. HUME objected to this mode of passing all the
estimates for public parks and mansions in one vote.
He did not wish at this late hour to oppose the vote, but
he thought the Government ought to allow the House
to have the separate expenses of each establishment for
the previous year laid before it.
After a few words from Captain PECHELL, the vote
was agreed to.
Mr. BROTHERTON then moved that the Chairman
report progress.
Sir G. CLERK said that the next vote was only for
the expenses of the temporary Houses of Parliament.
Mr. BROTHERTON gave way.
Sir G. CLERK then moved for a grant of 5,4001.
for the expenses of the temporary Houses.
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote was 60,0001 for the Houses of Parlia-
ment In answer to a question upon this vote,
The Earl of LINCOLN said the new House of Lords
could be fitted up temporarily for the next session if ab-
solutely required, but he thought it would be in such a
state as to cause great prejudice to health, and therefore
he hoped their Lordships would see fit to alter their
wishes. Both the Houses could be made comfortable by
the session following—that of 1846.
The vote was then agreed to.
The next and last vote was 7,0001. for Trafalgar-
square, which being agreed to the Chairman reported
progress and asked leave to sit again.
COUNTY COURTS (LANCASTER.)

The House having resumed,
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET obtained leave to
bring in two Bills ; one to amend the jurisdiction of the
County Court of the County Palatine of Lancaster; and
the other to alter and amend the jurisdiction of the
Chancery Court of the same Court.
ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAYS.

Mr. SHAW moved for a Select Committee to inquire
into the merits and importance of atmospheric railways.
—(Much amusement was caused by the President of
the Board of Trade, in whose department the appli-
cation came, being in a sound sleep, on the cross
bench behind the Speaker's chair. Having been aroused
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Hon. Gentle-
man proceeded to his place, amid the laughter of the
Hon. Members present.) Mr. Shaw then proceeded to
state that at that hour of the night he would not go into
the question ; he would merely say that he would follow
any course the Right Hon. Gentleman might suggest as
the most desirable. _ _

Mr. GLADSTONE said he should suggest, as most
advisable, that the Honourable and Learned Gentle-
man should postpone his motion till after Easter.
The Honourable Gentleman must be aware of the
difficulty that attended any proposition for a Select
Committee to inquire into the success of scientific expe-
riments ; it might lead to many similar propositions.
There could be no doubt that, on the small scale on
which it had been tried; the experiment had succeeded ;
the question was whether it would succeed if -tried on a
more extensive scale. He had another objection to the
motion, which was this. The Hon. Gentleman asked
for an inquiry into the importance of the experiments on
this railway ; he (Mr. Gladstone) thought that they had
already got to that point, and he doubted if he would
get further by havieg the Select Committee he asked
for. He did not propose to inquire into any particular
plan, but into the importance of the atmospheric prin-
ciple, which he believed was generally admitted. Who
were the persons most interested in this plan ? The
proprietors of railways—the possessors of vast masses of
capital, and who had the best means of investigating the
plan for themselves. The House could better ascertain
the merit of the system if these parties were before it,
which at present was not the case.
Lord H. VANE said that as this was a matter of na-
tional importance, it was right that the session should
not be allowed to elapse till the House had made a
practical inquiry into the principle. He therefore hoped
that the House would consent to the motion of the Right
Hon. Gentleman.
Mr. SHAW said that at this moment when there
were many important railways in contemplation, he was
most anxious to have the principle of atmospheric rail-
ways tried in this country. If the question was not
decided this session it would be too late, but as the
Right Hon. Gentleman seemed to think it would be
better to withdraw the motion till after Easter, he had
no objection to do so.
The motion was then withdrawn.
CHARITABLE PAWN SOCIETIES.
On the motion of Mr. COWPER, leave was given to
bring in a Bill for the establishment of Charitable Pawn
Societies.

IRISH TEMPORALITIES.
Mr. P. DRENCH moved for leave to bring in a Bill
to amend the laws relating to Temporalities of the
Church in Ireland. He would not ask for more than
leave to have the Bill printed. If the Government had
any objection to it, he would not proceed further with it.
Lord ELIOT said he would not give any opinion
on the subject, but he would not oppose the introduction
of the measure.
Mr. SHAW said he did not think that there was any
chance of the Bill passing. It was opposed by the
heads of the Church in Ireland, and he regretted that
the Government gave leave to have it introduced.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS.
Sir R. PEEL moved—That Sir Thomas Fremantle
be discharged from further attendance on the Contro-
verted Elections Committee ; that Lord Ashley be added
to the said Committee. The Noble Lord was chairman
of the chairman's panel, and had been included in his
original draught of the Committee. The name of his
Noble Friend had only been omitted through inadver- ,
tence, and he considered it very important that the Com-
mittee should have the advantage of his Noble Friend's
services.
Mr. HAWES admitted the necessity of having the
Noble Lord on the Committee, but considered that the
Committee ought not to be deprived of the services of
Sir Thomas Fremantle. He would suggest to the Right
Hon. Baronet the propriety of moving that Lord Ashley
should be added to the Committee.
The SPEAKER said that the motion could not be
made without notice.
Sir R. PEEL trusted the House would recollect that
it was on the suggestion of the Hon. Gentleman that he
acted, although at the same time he admitted that it was
the course most consonant to his own feelings. He
would therefore withdraw his motion, and give notice
that he should this day (Tuesday) move that the name
of Lord Ashley be added to the Committee.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at One o'Clock.

The old* son of Sir. Benjamin Hall, Bart., M.P., is,
we understand, in a most precarious state—having arrived iii
Portman-Ru V' g° dangerously frofroSandhurst College a
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