The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-13
BALFOUR'S IRISH BILL.
1T IS AN APPLICATION OF THE
COUNTY COUNCIL ACT.


ing. Administration ofthe Poor Law,
Asylums, Industrial Schools and
Prisons.
Copyright. 1892, by the N. Y associated Pyess.)
LONDON. Feb. l2-Until Secretary Bal
four introduces the Irish local government
bill on Thursday next the proceedings in
parliament will be mere party skirmishing.
Many members will not appear till the
leader of the House Of Commons
explains the nature of the measure on which
the government is expected to ap-
peal to the country. Though the ministers
decline to satisfy politicians who crave to
know the gist Of the Irish proposals, the
draft OF the bill which is now in type is
known to contain a host of clauses rivaling
in complexity Secretary Balfours
land act. A high informant de-
scrlbes it as in substance an
application Of the English county council
act, without adhering strictly to the exist
ing county areas. With view to protect
the minority, that is the conser ervatiVe
strength, in the districts where the national
vote is also strong, arbitrary electoral
boundaries are created.
TEE ELECTORS.
As in England, three-fourths of the mem
bers OF each council are to be elected by she
rate payers, portion of the rest by the
councillors, and a certain number by the
Irish executive. The councils are to have
control of the local police, excepting the
appointment of the chief constab bles,
the coEtrol OF licensing, administration
OF the poor law, asylums, industrial
schools and prisons, excepting stated gov
Vn~tGn uv,I k-ft.
works. The imperial police are 20 be main
tained In lessened force. AS an appendix
to the bill is another measure transferring
Irish private bill business, now heard at
Westminster, to the>looal courts.
A BLOW AT THE PRIESTS.
A conference Of Irish landlords recently
sent 60 Secretary Balfour, through the
Duke of Abercorn, a demand that clergy
men be excluded from the county boards,
the aim being to deprive priests of influ-
ence. Secretary Balfonr declined to comply
with the wishes of the landlords.
Mr.. Gladstone tonight wired that he will
reappear in the House Of Commons on Feb.
% in time for the debate on the second
reading Of the measure
The Irish leaders OF both groups declare
their readiness to adopt what they can Of
Secretary BalfouF's proposals, but they also
concur that the bill will be found Ia the
main impossible OF acceptance An early
result OF the combined attack on this bill
will be the reunion OF the Irish party, when
both groups will cooperate for a common
end and the factions will disappear. The
decision OF the Parnellite section not to ap-
point recognized leader shows that they
feel that the time for reunion is near
CHAMBERLAINs SPEECH.
Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain, the Duke Of
Devonshire aud the Earl and Countess of
Dndley and host Of persons Of high rank
and title were in the gallery of the House of
Commons yesterday evening to hear Mr.
Chamberlain, who achieved a distinct trs-
unph in his brilliant arraignment of the
liberals. The pungency Of his attack
drew frequent cheers from the coa-
servatives. His allusions to the alliance
between thelMc Garth YiteS and 0ladstonians
seemed to delight the little band Of Par
nellites. His answers to Sir William Ver-
non Harcourt's charge that Lord Salsbury's
Exeter speech was an insult 60 the Catholics
was most effective. Mr.. Chamberlain
quoted a passage from Mr.. Gladstone's
writings. which says: "To secure rights is
the aim of Christian civilization; to destroy
them and establish the reslstess domineer-
ing action Of purely central power ia the
aim Of the Roman policy" Mr.. Chamber
lain also quoted similar
passage from Mr.. MorleY's writings.
Then, ne asked, ''is it not strange that the
Gladstonians may steal a horse when va
cannot look over the hedgeP Mr.. Morley,
in his reply, did not add to his reputation.
His speech was angry in tone, and he was
evidently unprepared for the attack. He
made some good points in the early part of
his speech, but soon became dull and con-
fused.
While he was speaking the number of
members in the House gradually dwindled.
GATHERING OF THE sQUADRoNs.
There lis something portentous in the
simultaneous assembling in the Levant of
the fleets of the great powers. Since it be-
came known that the French and Russian
sQuadrons in the Mediterranean are going
to Alexandria, orders have been sent to the
Austrian Admiral Rohrscheids, now at
Smyrna, to sail with his five warships for the
Piraeus, where bis squadron will be ioiued
by two Italian iron-clads and a division of
the German squadron. Within fortnight
the united squadrons of the dreibund will be
within CO. operating distance of the English
feet at Alexandria. If Frances design is
to impress the khedive by naval demon
stration, England and her allies are ready
to make more impressive demonstration.
AN IRoN-CLAD GROUNDED.
The British ironclad Victoria was docked
at Malta to-day. Lord George Hamilton.
first lord of the admiralty, announced in
the House OF Commons that the accident to
the Victoria was the subject OF inquiry by
a court martial, but he refused to give the
details. The Associated Press representa-
tive learned, however, that the accident
was entirely due to carelessness. A boats
crew was sent out to mark with a
buoy a shoal, the existence of which
was perfectly known to the officers. The
shoal is very narrow and extends from the
shore. The crew were instructed TO pro-
ceed along the shoal from the shore until
ten fathoms Of water was reached, and then
mark the spot with buoy. When within
100 yards Of the cad the boat got off the
shoal, and as the next sounding showed over
ten fathoms of water, the crew
supposed that all was right,
and placed the buoy there.
The Victoria then came along at q good
speed at right angles 10 the shoal to take a
position for torpedo practice and passing we'll
outside the buoy. suddenly struck the shoal.
Hon. Maurice Burke, who, with the navi-
eating officer, is held responsible for the ac-
cident. is great cnum of the Duke of Ed
inburgh, having served with him in Malta
and having visited Russia with him.
GOING TO AUSTRALIA.
The Prince Of Naples will soon 90 on a
tour Of Australia. He will be accompanied
by an official charged to report on Australia
as field for Italian emigration, the United
States having fallen into disfavor and the
Argentine Republic complaining that
Italian emigration has been cverdone
there.
STRIKE OF THE PoRrERs.
The big strike Of coal porters in this citv