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    h9a THE LB ' ADEE. []S T 6. 381, August ...

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    """" Imperial Parliament. —?— ¦ Monday, ...

    fied with having called the attention of the House to the ¦ abject . After some personal explanations on . the part of Mr . Mangles and Lord John Russell ,, Mr . Thomas Baring apoke to various points connected with the proceedings before the Select Committee which sat four years ago on the ! affairs of India , and which Mr . Disraeli had impugned in the course of his reply . Mr . Baring expressed a total dissent from the course taken by Mr . Disraeli . —Lord Paxjcerston expressed his regret that a member

    occupying so prominent a position as Mr . Disraeli should have adopted so mischievous a course . The course taken by Lord John Russell showed that he justly estimated the feeling of the House and of the country . —In answer to Sir John Pakington , the Premier offered to produce such extracts from Sir Charles Napier ' s papers as had been referred to in the course of the debate . —Mr . Disbaeli remarked that he should be satisfied with extracts . General Thompson briefly observed that no notice had been taken in the debate of a breach of military faith and honour towards the native soldiers .

    The motion was then negatived without a division , and the amendment was agreed to . The Municipal Corporations Bill , the Lunatics ( Scotland ) Bill , and the Oxford University Bill , were respectively read a third time , and passed . The House adjourned at two o ' clock .

    Tuesday , July 28 * ft . In the House of Lords , the Fraudulent Trustees Bill was read a second time on the motion of the Lord ChancelloRj after a brief debate , in which Lords St . Leonards , Brougham , and Wensleydale expressed a general approval of the measure , while suggesting improvements in the details . The Prisoners' Removal Bill , the Portland Harbour Bill , and the Chatham Lands , & c , Bill , were read a third time , and passed .

    MILITIA . BALLOT SUSPENSION BILL . On this bill being- committed , the Earl o £ Ellenborough suggested the postponement of the measure , because it was impossible to say what might occur within the next fortnight to render it necessary to strengthen the defences of the country . —Lord Panmuke did not see any reason for postponing the measure . Any man who would attempt to put into execution the compulsory ballot for the militia would entirely fail . — -The Earl of Ellenborough : " Then why should it remain on the statute-book at all ?"—Viscount Dungannon also urged the expediency of postponing the measure ; but the suggestion was not adopted .

    PARLIAMENTARY RETURNS . The Duke of Newcastle called the attention of the Government to the propriety of supplying free libraries and other literary institutions with the reports and returns published by Parliament . —The Duke of Argyll admitted that the subject was well worthy of consideration , but thought it would be attended with certain difficulties .

    IRISH PETTY SESSION ACT . Viscount Dungannon asked the Lord Chancellor whether it is contemplated in the next session to alter and amend the present Petty Sessional Acts of Ireland , so as to assimilate them to those now in force in England and Wales . —The Lord Chancellor said it is the intention of the Irish Attorney-General to introduce a bill next session to consolidate the Irish Acts , but he did not think it would be fit in every case to assimilate them to the laws now in force in this country . There were circumstances in Ireland to prevent it , and in some respects the Irish system is superior . The House adjourned at a quarter to seven o ' clock .

    DOVER ELECTION . In the House of Commons , at the morning sitting , the Speaker announced that he had received intimations that it was not intended to proceed with the petition against the return for Dover , or that against the Beverloy election . The Lords' amendments to the Manchester Coitrokation Bill wcro considered and agreed to .

    GENERAL BOARD Off HEALTH BILL . On the order for going into committee on tbis bill , Sir George : Grey said it was not his intention to persevere in making the measure permanent , but ho would propose in the committee to make it a continuance bill , extending the Act of 1848 for another year , and transferring the powers of the General Board of Health to a Committee of the Privy Council . —Mr . Knight moved to defer the second reading of the bill for throe months . —This motion was supported by Sir Geojrom Pkohesll and Mr . Palk .- —Mr . Cowphr Insisted upon the sanitary improvements and the reduction of mortality whjch had

    resulted from tho working of tuo present law , and upon tho necessity of a superintending authority in this department . —Sir GEORGE Gridy offered to limit tho continuance of tho aot until a specific date , and named tho 1 st of Septombor , 1858 . —After a discussion of some length , tho House divided , when Mr , Knight ' s motion was negatived by 98 to 78 , and tho House wont into committee on tho bill!—In tho committoo an opposition was raised to tho transfer of tho powers of tho board to a Committoo of tho Privy Council , and Sir George QnmY ultimately consented to tho chairman leaving tho chair , with the viow of introducing a simple oontinunnco . bill without A transfer of powers .

    The House then resumed , and shortly afterwards adjourned for the evening . PURIFICATION OF THE THAMES . In the evening , Sir Benjamin Hall , in answer to questions by Mr . Ridley and Mr . Butler , said that , under the provisions of the Act of . . 1855 , it was determined that intercepting sewers should be constructed to divert the sewage from the Thames , the works to be carried out by the Metropolitan Board of Works ; but the plans were to be previously submitted to the First Commissioner of Works for approval . Not a day had been lost by the . Government in reference to the matter . Plans were sent in to him on the 22 nd of December ; and on the 29 th he referred them to eng ineers who had since had them under consideration . He was happy to say that he had this day seen one of the referees , and he believed that their report would be delivered to him in a few days . As soon as he received it , he would forward a copy to the Metropolitan Board of Works , and he thought it would be convenient also to lay a copy on the table of the House . No delay in the interception of the sewage from the Thames had taken place on his part ; and he had no doubt that the Metropolitan Board of Works would give the subject their earliest consideration . BOUNDARY OF SIORETON BAY . In reply to Sir James Elphinstone , Mr . Labouchere corrected an error he had made on a previous evening with respect to the boundaries of Moreton Bay . The boundary line would run , not , as he then stated , between the 25 th and 26 th degrees of south latitude , but between the 28 th and 29 th degrees . THE LITURGY . Lord Robert Grosvenob postponed till next session his motion for an address to the Queen to appoint a commission to consider whether the Liturgy of the Church of England be not capable of modification .

    MILITARY INSTRUCTION . Sir Db Lacy Evans proposed the following resolutions : — " That , in the opinion of this House , a higher standard of professional instruction , and more complete provision for it than hitherto deemed requisite , ought to be established for the commissioned ranks of the army , but especially for the staff ; that this will be best promoted by recourse to competitive examination of officers desiring to qualify themselves for the staff , by adopting the same principle with such qualification as may be necessary in examination of candidates nominated by the commander-in-chief for commissions in the cavalry and infantry ; by preserving the present system of admission of cadets for the Ordnance Corps ; by assured encouragements for proficiency and general fitness for

    advancement ; and by appointment of commissioners or a council of military and civilian members , empowered to direct the measures for accomplishing these objects . " He supported these suggestions in a speech of some length . _ -Mr . Bass seconded the motion . —Sir F . Smith thought a high standard of education not required for officers of the line . —General Wyndhajm said he had noticed in the field that officers who ranked high for intellectual attainments turned out the worst . —Sir William Williams assured the House that the apprehensions of Sir De Lacy Evans as to the influence of favouritism in the examinations were groundless . The abolition of purchase would inevitably increase the influence of patronage . —Mr . Palk supported the accusations of favouritism by special instances within his knowledge .

    Sir John Kamsdbn said he believed that sufficient attention had not hitherto been paid to the education of the officers of the army . The Government were fully aware of the importance of this defect , and of the duty they owed to the country , to the soldier , and to tho officer himself , to provide a remedy for it . They wore accordingly engaged in preparing a comprehensive scheme of military education , which they confidently hoped would deserve tho approbation of tho House , The main features of the scheme were that the examination to which all officers nominated by tho commanderin-chief for direct appointments wore subjected would be more severe ; that the examinations would be quarterly , in London , under tho direction of the Council of Education ; and that they would bo conducted by mill " tnry and civil examiners . Tho competitive principle would bo adopted . Under these circumstances he hoped Sir Do Lacy would not press his resolutions .

    Colonel North was glad to hoar that the examinations for the Ordnance Corps were to ho removed ( o London . Ho hoped they would be spread over two days instead of being crowded into one , and that tho examiners would encourage the boys to answer , and not frighten them . Many boys now failed through fright . —' Lord Stanley thought it dosirablo that young mon should not bo induced to considor their professional education finished when thoy entered the army , but that should

    there bo examinations at a lntor period . —Mr . Sidney IlKnnicux said ho did not foar that tho standard of education in tho army would over bo placed too high . On tho contrary , tho tondency would bo to lower whfttovor standard was eot up . { Hear , hear . ") Thoir object was to havo tho boat officers thoy could , no matter from what class thoy came . It waa most important that there should bo a pormanont body of examiners , elear-hoadod , practical mon , who would teat tho capabilities of those who camo boforo thorn , and determine whether their

    attainments were the result of cram or diligent personal study . He hoped in the staff examinations would be included the personal staff , especially the aides-de-camp who , by some , were regarded-as the twopenny postmen of the army . ( Laughter . ) —Major Warburton trusted that the system now being inaugurated would be fully carried out . —General Codrington said that , where regiments were in the colonies , it would be hard to expect that officers should come home for examination . An officer requires peculiar qualities ; and they should take

    care that men practically efficient in their profession should not be passed over , while men of mere literary and scientific attainments were advanced . — Colonel Sykks said that they did not require their officers to be literary coxcombs , but practical men .- —Lord Alfred Churchill said that an officer should , above all things , be a gentleman . The men would not have a sufficient degree of respect for a man who had arisen from tlieir own ranks . But it would be desirable to offer , from time to time in our great public schools , a certain number of commissions for competition .

    Lord Palmerston thought that the first examination of a young man entering the army ought to be a test of his education and intellectual qualities . When he got his commission and entered the army , his commanding officer would judge Of his qualities , and then would come the competitive examination for the staff , and arrangements would be made that the standard should not fall below the proper point . The resolution before the House went to make an affirmation of points still under consideration ; and , although , generally speaking , he agreed with the principles upon which the resolutions were founded , he submitted to Sir De Lacy Evans whether he would either leave the matter in the hands of the Government or modify the resolutions so as to affirm the general principles , without tying down the Government to particular details , which might be inconvenient . —Sir De Lacy Evans modified the resolutions accordingly , and in their amended shape they were agreed to .

    THE BANK ACTS . In answer to Mr . Gkeer and Mr . Buchanan , the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the Select Committee on the Bank Acts had agreed to report the evidence . —Mr . Greek withdrew a motion on the subject , of which he had given notice .

    NEW WRITS FOR GALAVAY AND MAYO . Colonel FRExen moved that a new writ dp issue for the borough of Galway . — Mr . George Clive , the chairman of the committee whose decision had unseated Mr . O'Flaherty , moved , by the direction of the committee , as . an amendment , " That this House do pray her Majesty to cause an . inquiry to be made into the existence of corrupt practices during the last as well as former elections for the county of the town of Galway . " —Mr . J . D . Fitzgerald supported the amendment , referring to the report of the committee , which stated that systematic bribery had prevailed at the last and previous elections at Galway . —After a short discussion , the motion was negatived and the amendment agreed to .

    Colonel French then moved for a new writ for the county of Mayo . —Mr . Scholefield called attention to the fifth resolution of tho select committee on the Mayo county election , and moved , as an amendment , that the Attorney-General for Ireland bo directed thereon to prosecute the Rev . Peter Conway and the Rev . Luke Kyan . —A long and somewhat warm debate ensued , terminating in a division , by which the original motion was negatived by 153 to 29 . —Mr . Soholefield ' s amendment was then put as a substantive motion , whereupon Mr . Brady moved that the House do adjourn ; but , upon a division , this motion was negatived by 149 to 16 ' . —Mr . Soiiolefield's motion was then agreed to . —Mr . Scholefikld afterwards moved that tho writ for the county of Mayo bo suspended during tho present session ; and this was carried , upon a division , by 12 $ to 21 . Tho House adjourned at a quarter to three o ' clock .

    Wednesday , July 29 tf / j . Tho House op Commons having resolved itself into a committee on tho Smoick Nuisance ( Scotland ) Auatk :-ment Bill , the clauses wcro agreed to , aftor discussion , with certain amendments .

    SUPERANNUATION ACT AMENDMENT DI 1 . L . Mr . llxoii ( on the resumption of tho adjourned debate on the second reading of this bill ) continued his argument against tho measure , which he opposod aa imperfect in its framework , unjust in its operations , qnlto unnecessary , based upon erroneous statements , involving : '' needless and extravagant expenditure of public money , and recognizing and encouraging a brojioh of contnicl . — Lord Naab replied to uome of tho assertions iniulo by Mr . Wilson in tho previous , debate , maintaining , in opposition to him , that the contributions of tho civil tho

    servants havo boon far more than equivalent to pensions paid ; that tho civil servants are not by any moans well remunerated j and that it was ultoyotlior erroneous to suppose that , if tho bill woro pmwd , thoro would bo a groat dofioionoy in 18 J ) 1 , to bo supplied by Parliament . On tho contrary , there , would bo ft largo sum In favour of tho Exchequer , —Mr . Glauwonk observed ( hnt , notwithstanding tho dioulitinior of Lord Nnas , hie bill involved a gonornl increnflo of siiliirion . This might load to a demand on tho part of tho political officers of the atato for an increase of thoir Huliirlos . Thoro appeared to bo already a tbiulonoy in that dl-

    H9a The Lb ' Adee. []S T 6. 381, August ...

    h 9 a THE LB ADEE . [] S 6 . 381 , August 1 , 1857 . i ** * ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ _—^——^^^^— " — — " ' ~ " - ~ ' *"" " ' ' — -

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 1, 1857, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01081857/page/4/