The Sun. — 1869-03-23 (London, England)

OCEAN MAIL CONTRACTS.  The select committee moved for by Mr. Seely to inquire into the contracts entered into by the late Govern. meat with the Cunard and Inman lines of steamers for the conveyance of the mails between this country and America met again yesterday. The duty of reporting to the House on this important matter has been confided to Mr. Dent (chairman), Sir Massey Lopes, An'' Hamilton, Mr. Graves, Mr. Seely, and Mr. Greavl Though the evidence taken by the committee has assure°, vast proportions, and has been obtained by lengthetru, examinations of a great number of official and non-official witnesses, the actual points to be decided are simply whether or not it is a wise thing for the rcst Office to subsidise the contractors who carry tue mails rather than to pay them for the services thel, actually render, and to enter ~.w""""gc"`""'"" "ht long term of years. When Mr. Seely brougL• forward the subject in the House of Commons, he con' tended that the amount of £120,000, which was the 111111, named to be paid annually for three services a wee in the contracts made with Messrs. Cunard and Ir. Inman by the late Conservative Government, wag not only too large, but was in reality sacrificing about £40,000 per annum. He also argued that the propose" mode of contracting was unnecessary, and that by enter" mg into an arrangement with the contractors for eight years, the Post Office would be precluded from taking advantage of increased speed and other improvements, and would Le preventing the adoption of the ocean Penny postage. The motion for the committee of inquiry, which was not resisted by the Postmaster-General, was carried by 115 to 80. The committee sat in private yesterday simply for the purpose of considering their report.  Mrs. Plow, the widow of the clergyman who was murdered at Todmorden last year, died on Friday °voila' at `Vantage, Berkshire. It is stated the agreement to submit to an open Court of Arbitration all matters connected with the " munds' scandal" has come to nothing. The action for VIA' (Edwards v. Greenwood), which stood for the end of February last, but which was withdrawn during the she" negotiations, will now be proceeded with, and will come e° before a special jury in the Court of Common Pleas, Westminster Hall, the first sitting day after the fortkeetnin° Easter Term, viz., the 10th of May next. The Birmingham Post states that the recent Cooduct of the released Fenian convicts has caused the Government to stop all further steps in extending the Royal clemency. The Irish Executive was tat; . gating the claims for the pardon of several oth or but the conduct of the released men cause' stop to bo put to such proposal. The Government is 11°t indisposed to consider the claims of the convicts, but mere, substantial guarantees for good conduct will be required, and at present no further liberations will take place. Mr. Sergeant Cox has issued an address to the electors of Taunton, in which he does not attempt to die guise the pain" the recent judgment has given him. ° trusts that at the next election the Conservative Tarty will endeavour to secure their share in the representation of the borough. The learned sergeant concludes as follows:-"1 Lid you farewell for a season, in the assured confidence that when a new Parliament (hall be summoned (and nop° can say how soon that may be), you will restore rue to the honour of which I have been legally, but not equitably" and I am sure not deservedly_ deprived."