The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-22 00:00:00

ABYSSINIA

Mr. OT WAY asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs whether he would lay upon the table of the house
copies of any communications which had passed between
her Majesty's Government and our Consul General in
Egypt on the subject of the Abyssinian expedition ?
Lord STANLEY said the papers had been already pre-
sented to the house, and would b 3 in the hands of hon.
members on Monday next.
NEW MEMBER.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (11r. Brett, Q.C.) took the oath
and his seat for Holston.
THE WEST INDIES.

Mr. E. MILLS asked the Under-Secretary of State for
the Colonies if he intended on an early day to introduce a
bill to relieve the Consolidated Fund from the charge of
£20,300 for the ecclesiastical establishments in the West

Mr. WIIA.L LE Y asked the Secretary of State for War
whether it was the fact that the 86th Regiment had been
detained on its way to the Mauritius and Algoa Bay owing
to prevalence of fever in that island, and was ordered on
with instructions not to land unless the fever had abated ;
that on its arrival there in her Majesty's ship Tamar, on the
27th of December last, the authorities of the island met
and decided that the fever being then on the
increase the regiment ought not to be landed ; that the
regiment was lauded on the 28th of December, and that
fever was now spreading amongst the troops ; what were
the ci:cumstauces that justified the landing of the said re-
giment at the Mauritius, or that demanded the presence of
European troops in that island during the prevalence of fever
there; and whether it was the fact that by reason of this
fever, of two companies of Engineers lately station° I
there but 60 then remained, and of the entire force of
Artillery, but 100, and that the 13th Regiment also suffered
most severely from the same cause.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said he was sorry to say that the
statement of the hon. gentleman was substantially cor-
rect. The regiment was originaily despatched from the
Mauritius, but it having been found that the fever
was raging there, the regiment was ordered to bo
detained at the Cape until information was received that
it would be safe for them to proceed. That information
came and the regiment left and arrived at Port Louis, when
it was found that there had been a fresh outbreak of the epi-
demic at that place. A. consultation was held amongst the
medical staff, when it was thegeneyal opinion that the troops
ought to land, but to return to some more healthy place.
The colonel remonstrated on what he thought a hard-
ship which such a proceeding would entail on his
men, and iu this he appeared to have acted solely for the
comfort and convenience of his men. The General in
command at this time after that changed his mind
about not allowing the troops to leave the vessel,
and they eventually disembarked and were dispersed
in small companies to a number of out or suburban
stations. Notwithstanding this, up to the 17th of January
there had been 25 cases of fever, but happily no deaths.
(Hear, hear.) Information had been sent for from the
colonel as to the remonstrance he had used in the face
of the recommendation of the medical staff, and also to the
general for an account of the matter that induced him to
change his mind after he had given his first order.
MEXICO.

In reply to Mr. T. BARING,
Lord S TANLEY said—lt having been determined by the
Mexican Republic not to hold relations with those who had
recognised the Mexican Empire, the Government had given
directions to withdraw the British Legation from the
country, so at present no diplomatic relations existed be-
tween the two countries. It was entirely owing to the
Mexican Government that such a s'ep had been rendered
necessary. With respect to the latter part of the hon,
gentleman's question, it was important nothing of a hasty
or precipitate nature should transpire. (Hear, hear.)
BANDA AND KIEWEE PRIZE MONEY.

In reply to Mr. NEVILLE-GRENVILLE,
Sir S. NOItTIICOTE said it arose simply because the
prize list of the artillery had not yet arrived from India,
without which the money could not be paid. The list
had been twice asked for, but it had not yet arrived.
TELEGRAPII TO INDIA.

In reply to Captain Vivian,
Sir S. NORTHCOrE said undoubtedly it would be a
great convenience to have better telegraphic communica-
tion with India by way of the Red Sea, but the difficulty
was whether a subsidy would ba required, and if so,
whether it ought to be borne simply by Indian
revenue, or jointly by the Indian and Imperial Govern-
ments. Proposals had been made to a public body with
respect to the constructing a line of telegraph communica-
tion between Massowah or Annesley Bay and this country,
but it was stated that it could not have been completed
before the end of January, as he had received a very
full despatch from General Sir R. Napier, in which he ex-
pressed his opinion that the expedition would complete its
mission during the present season ; he did not see the ne-
cessity for taking further steps on the subject. But not-
withstanding that he should bo glad to see telegraphic
communication established by the route suggested by pri-
vate enterprize.
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

Mr. GOSCHEN called the attention of the house to the
last report of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and to the
continuous increase of the burdens laid, and proposed to
be laid, for various purposes, in London and elsewhere, on
the occupiers of rateable property. He recommendcd, with
a view to meeting the state of circumstances, that there
should be an equalisation of rates over the metropolis ;
that the occupiers of rateable property should bo relieved,
and a portion of their burdens placed on owners ; and that
an income tax should be levied for municipal purposes.
With regard to the last-mentioned proposal he admitted
there would b 3 a difficulty in local authorities levying an
income tax; but he suggested that that might be avoided
by making an arrangement with the Government, and
giving them a penny income tax for the metropolis, which
would produce upwards of a million, and which they could
easily collect by the existing machinery, in exchange for
the house duty, which now produced them about the same
amount.

Cul. HOGG, as a member of the Board of Works, would
be glad if Mr. Goschen would lend.his assistance to sim-
plifying the accounts of that body. He contended that the

board had discharged their duties efficiently, and in proof
of this said that, in addition to executing great works,
such as the Thames Embankment, an improved sewerage,
and the formation of new streets, they had had to adminis-
ter the Cattle Plague Bill in the metropolis, and to estab-
lish and direct the Fire Brigade. They had now, however,
come to the end of their resources, whilst they were only
at the beg nning of the improvements that were absolutely
necessary, and he was inclined to agree in the scheme.
shadowed out by Mr Goschen for raising the required ways
and means.

Colonel SYKES condemned the Metropolitan Board of
Works as an irresponsible body, and complained of their
extravagant expenditure, particularly in the item estab-
lishment charges—Sir John Thwaites, the chairman, hav-
ing had his salary increased from £1,500 to .£2,000 a year'
and a proportionate increase having been also made in the
salary of Mr. Bazalgette, the engineer, and in those of a
numerous and permanent staff of employes. In short, he
pronounced the board as voracious beyond measure in try-
ing to absorb every local power in the metropolis. It had
lately swallowed the Fire Brigade, and now it was trying

to gulp down the gas companies.
he found in them an
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acquiescence in the views enunciated in the report of the
select committee which sat two years ago.
Mr. N. GREI\ VILLE observed that if the rates of the
metropolis were supplemented by Imperial taxation he
should put in a claim for a like favour being extended to
overburdened ratepayers in the country, who were
threatened with an education rate, with having the main-
tenance of highways thrown entirely upon them, and with
other charges.

Mr. 11. LEWIS said that the suffering and distress
caused by the pressure of the rates in the metropolis were
intole.able, and that it was impossible, with justice, to place
any further burden on the ratepayers; and he argued that
taxation ought to be levied solely with reference to the
capacity to pay.

Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE rose to speak at this point
in the debate, but was prevented doing so by the house
being counted out and adjourning at ton minutes to eight
o'clock.

During a quarter of a century Horniman's Teas have had
an immense sale, and as they are now 8d per pound Cheaper,
in consequence of the Reduced Duty, the demand will
doubtless be even further extended. sold, secured in
Packces, now loom