condition made as to the fortress is that | This is what has taken place:-The the flag of the Sovereign Power shall float French Ambassador in this country called upon the fortress in common with the on my noble Relative at the head of the Servian flag. By this means additional Foreign Office, and stated that the French contentment, additional security, and ad- Government either had or were about to ditional strength have, I believe, been instruct their Ambassador at Constantiadded to the Turkish Empire. My noble nople to advise Turkey to cease from the Friend then proceeded to deal with the struggle in Crete, and consent to the ancase of Crete, detailing the views of Aus-nexation of Crete to Greece, and he asked tria, Russia, and France, with which I do not pretend to be acquainted. He says, "I can understand the policy of those three Powers; but that England should consent to the disintegration of the Turkish Empire and the annexation of Crete to Greece is a matter that I cannot understand." THE EARL OF DENBIGH: I merely asked the question. I did not venture to suppose that England had yet consented. whether Her Majesty's Government were prepared to issue similar instructions. My noble Relative expressed great regret, because Her Majesty's Government did not feel themselves justified in issuing similar instructions to their Ambassador at Constantinople; but he added that if the Turkish Government thought fit voluntarily to surrender the island of Crete to Greece, Her Majesty's Government, whatever they might think of such a transaction, would not feel it their duty to throw difficulties in the way. Since my noble Friend gave notice of his Question a similar proposition has been made, not by despatch, but in conversation, on behalf of THE EARL OF DERBY: Then if my noble Friend asks me whether, seeing what has been done by the Porte for Moldavia and Servia, the Porte will not extend the same advantages to Crete, all I can say is that if a foreign Prince were ap-Russia; to this my noble Relative gave the pointed there under the same circumstances as those to which I have alluded, whatever Her Majesty's Government might think of the wisdom or otherwise of that step, it would not feel called upon to raise any serious obstacle in the way of such an arrangement. The matter concerns Turkey herself; but I am not sure, except for the great difficulty of dealing with a mixed population of Mussulmans and Christians, that autonomy conceded to the Crete subjects might not be a source of weakness rather than of strength. My noble Friend, after talking of the disintegration of the Turkish Empire, and after giving us the views of Europe, says it is suicidal to the commercial relations of England with Turkey; but that appears to me something like an assumption on the part of the noble Earl that England has adopted some policy at the suggestion of Foreign Powers. My noble Friend asked me, have Austria, Russia, and France addressed any invitation to this country to join them in a simultaneous, as he calls it, or, as it is more commonly called, an identic note, calling on Turkey to annex Crete to the Kingdom of Greece? My answer simply is that no such proposition has been made to Her Majesty's Government-that we have never been invited to join in any identic note, nor have any propositions of the kind supposed by my noble Friend been made to Turkey on behalf of this country. same answer which had been already given to the Ambassador of France; and so the matter stands at present. I know not what course has been taken by the Austrian Government; but if Russia and France either have advised or intend to advise Turkey, by a voluntary act of its own, to permit the annexation of Crete to Greece, Her Majesty's Government decline to be any party to offering such advice. In the first place, my belief is that the advice, if given and not supported, as I trust it will not be supported, by any stronger measures, is not likely to be taken. And I must confess that I entertain very grave doubt whether, if it was taken, the proposed transfer from the Turkish Government to the Greek dominion would be favourable either to the prosperity or contentment of the Cretan population. The policy of this country has ever been, while giving to Turkey any advice which it may think beneficial or advantageous for that country itself, to refrain from pursuing any policy or advising any act inconsistent with the independent jurisdiction of Turkey over its own provinces. I certainly shall not join in pressing upon her any policy contrary to that which she, herself, would be disposed to adopt in reference to matters as to which we acknowledge her own sovereign rights to deal with as she thinks proper. THE EARL OF DENBIGH expressed his entire satisfaction with the course pursued by Her Majesty's Government, and, after what had fallen from the noble Earl, would not propose the Motion of which he had given notice. House adjourned at Seven o'clock, till to-morrow, half past Ten o'clock. 3. We think it right to report to Your Majesty oath before us, the falsehood of which was afterthat the following witnesses made statements on wards either acknowledged by themselves or made plain to us in the course of the subsequent inquiry:-John Heath, senior, George Griffis, Thomas Blank, Henry Crawford, Richard Norrish, Thomas Gillham, William Satchwell, Robert Harris, Jubal Bartlett, Nicholas Manning, John S. Screach, junior, and Frederick Evens. Thomas Jacob Searle confessed himself guilty of subornation of perjury in trying to prevent witnesses from telling the truth before us; and John Heath, senior, was accused by two witnesses, and Samuel Parnell was also accused, of the same offence;" and, if it is the intention of the Government to take any criminal proceedings against the said John Heath, senior, or others, for perjury or subornation of perinjury? MINUTES.]-PUBLIC BILLS -Resolution Third Reading-Lyon King of Arms (Scotland)* [44], and passed. "1. While we were sitting John Ileath, who had been the principal briber on the Conservative side since 1857, who, when examined as a wit ness before us, gave evidence the falsehood of which he afterwards admitted, who was accused by two witnesses of subornation of perjury, and who was under the imputation of being, with others, unable to account for the distribution over £1,200, was not only re-elected a member of the town council, but was, during the next week, offered the mayoralty of the town. 2. We find that a sum of over £3,700 passed into the hands of persons engaged in directly bribing voters, and that while of the remainder no account has been given to us. The persons who ought to give such account are Mr. Edmonds, Mr. J. Heath, and their inferior agents. It was alleged before us by John Heath, and considerable time was taken up in searching into the truth of the allegation, that this money had been in truth placed in the hands of an unknown stranger, and that he must account for the deficiency, but after considering all the evidence taken before us, the contradictory statements made, and the falsehoods told by John £2,450 has been accounted for as thus distributed, Heath and other of the witnesses, who swore to the existence of such a stranger, and the final avowal of two of these witnesses that they had invented the story of being paid by a stranger at John Heath's instigation, we much doubt whether there was any such person as the stranger at all, or if there were, whether had he been called he could have accounted for all the deficient money. MR. WALPOLE replied that the Law Officers of the Crown had been directed by the Home Office to inquire into the cases mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, with a view to ascertain what proceedings should be taken with respect to them. METROPOLITAN POOR LAW RATING. QUESTION. MR. ALDERMAN LAWRENCE said, he wished to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, If his attention has been directed to a recent Return made by the Poor Law Board, purporting to show the rate in the pound of the Expenditure for the Relief of the Poor in each of the thirty-nine Unions and Parishes within the Metropolitan District during each of the ten years from 1857 to 1866 inclusive; and, if so, whether he is aware that the said Return is for the most part incorrect, in consequence of the ten columns of figures showing the rate in the pound of each Union and Parish during each of the ten years having been all calculated upon the rateable value of the year 1866, instead of upon the various rateable values of each of the ten years from 1857 to 1866, so that only one of the ten columns of figures is correct; whether he is aware that all the results that may be drawn from the said Return of the rate in the pound are exactly contrary to the actual facts; and, whether he will direct a corrected Return to be made forthwith? MR. GATHORNE HARDY said, in reply, that the Return in question had been made out in strict conformity with the Motion of the hon. Gentleman who had asked for its production. That Motion was for a Return of the rateable value of each union and parish in the metropolis according to the latest valuation; and that tions have yet been issued to the Civil was, of course, the information which had Authorities and to the Commanding Officers been furnished. But if the hon. Alder- of the Volunteers respecting the employman desired to learn the rateable value of ment of Volunteers in the suppression of the different unions and parishes during disturbances; and whether he will undereach of the preceding nine years, he (Mr. take to lay such instructions upon the Gathorne Hardy) should have no objection table of the House before the Vote be to such a Motion beyond that which applied taken for the Volunteer Service? to the production of any Returns which would involve great expense and trouble. MR. ALDERMAN LAWRENCE said, he would therefore give notice that he should move for an amended Return. ARMY TRANSPORT COMMITTEE. QUESTION. CAPTAIN VIVIAN said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will lay upon the table of the House the Report of the Committee on Transport for the Army which sat last year, and of which Lord Strathnairn was President? SIR JOHN PAKINGTON, in reply, said, he could not then give a decided answer to the Question of the hon. and gallant Member. He believed that Report was drawn up, but it had not yet been signed by the President of the Committee, and he (Sir John Pakington) had not therefore yet seen it. After he should have had an opportunity of examining it he should be prepared to state whether he thought it desirable that it should be pub lished. IRELAND-MILITIA.-QUESTION. COLONEL FRENCH said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he intends to call out the Irish Militia for training this year? SIR JOHN PAKINGTON, in reply, said, he was sorry that he could not give the hon. and gallant Gentleman a decided answer to his Question. In the Estimates a sum was taken for the Irish militia; but the period of the year at which they assembled for training was generally later than that at which the English militia were called out for the purpose, and no time had yet been fixed for calling them out this year. EMPLOYMENT OF VOLUNTEERS IN CIVIL DISTURBANCES. THE INSTRUCTIONS.- QUESTION. MR. W. E. FORSTER said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether instruc MR. WALPOLE replied, that instructions had been drawn up on the subject by the War Department. Those instructions had been sent to the Law Officers of the Crown, to be put into the shape of regulations, which, when they were approved by those Officers, would be transmitted by the War Office to the lords-lieutenant of the different counties, and by the Home Department to the various civil authorities throughout the Kingdom. When that was done-and he hoped it would be done at no distant day-he should take care that the regulations were laid on the table of the House. MR. BRIGHT said, he would beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether it would not be better that they should be laid on the table before they were sent to the lords-lieutenant of counties and the civil authorities, in order that any hon. Member might, if he thought fit, bring them under the consideration of the House before they were finally determined on. Otherwise, the authorities at the Horse Guards might say it was too late to interfere in the matter, as they had repeatedly done in other instances? MR. WALPOLE said, he thought it was the usual and the preferable course that the framing of the instructions should be left to the Executive Government, on whom the responsibility which they might involve must naturally rest. They could afterwards be laid upon the table of the House, and that would be the proper time for hon. Members taking any notice of them they might think desirable. MR. W. E. FORSTER said, he wished to know, whether the right hon. Gentle man will undertake that those instructions should be produced before the Vote for the Volunteer Service is submitted to the House? MR. WALPOLE said, he had no doubt that that would be done. The instructions would, he believed, be laid upon the table before the Easter recess. NEW LAW COURTS.—QUESTION. MR. LANYON said, he would beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the intention of the Commissioners of the new Law Courts to accede to the request of the competing architects to the effect that two professional men, selected by the competitors, be added to the judges? MR. HUNT said, in reply, that a request of that description had been addressed to the Lord Chancellor, who had asked the opinion of the Government upon the subject; and they considered that it was at present too late to alter the arrangement which had been previously adopted. CEYLON.-BARRACKS AT POINT DE GALLE.-QUESTION. MR. OLIPHANT said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to build fresh barracks for European Troops at Point de Galle? SIR JOHN PAKINGTON replied, that in consequence of the recent transfer of the Straits Settlements, it was considered necessary that a wing of a European regiment should be settled at that station, and it was intended that barracks should be built for their accommodation. But there was at present a question pending between the colony and the Colonial Office with regard to the proportions in which they should respectively contribute to the expenditure which would thus have to be incurred. MUTINY ACT-FLOGGING.- QUESTION. MAJOR JERVIS said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether, having in view the proposed alteration of Clause 24 of the Mutiny Act, it is proposed to give the Military Authorities power to discharge men guilty of felony, or of disgraceful conduct which has rendered them liable to flogging, on the completion of their sentence? SIR JOHN PAKINGTON, in reply, said, it was not his intention to propose that any additional powers should be given in the direction referred to by the hon. and gallant Gentleman, because he did not think such powers were necessary. Under the 22nd Article of War it was now competent for Commanders-in-Chiefs, Courts Martial, and Generals commanding in the colonies to dismiss from Her Majesty's service such men as those to whom the hon. and gallant Gentleman referred. REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL-SPECIAL FRANCHISES. QUESTION. MR. THOMAS CAVE said, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will be willing to introduce into the Bill for the amendment of the Representation of the People a provision giving the Franchise to male persons having had for two full years prior to July in each year, a sum not less than £50 deposited at interest in any duly constituted Freehold Land or Building Society? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I think, Sir, the Question of the hon. Gentleman is based on a misapprehension of the circumstances on which the special franchises in the Reform Bill The franchises which are are founded. founded on the possession of a certain sum in the public funds, for example, or in the savings banks, and on direct taxation are founded on circumstances which are as it were in the eye of the Government, and over which they have control. That character does not apply to the franchise to which the hon. Gentleman refers, which is one that I cannot for a moment coun tenance. CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS. REMOVAL OF MAGISTRATES. QUESTION. SIR LAWRENCE PALK said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If the Postmaster General will remove Samuel Parnell, Postmaster, Totnes, convicted of bribery and corrupt practices at the Elections of Totnes in the years 1857, 1859, 1862, 1863, and 1865; and, if the Lord Chancellor will remove from the Commission of the Peace for that borough Charles Webber, Esq., and Webber Chaster, Esq., declared guilty by the Commission of corrupt practices and bribery? MR. WALPOLE, in reply to the first Question, said, he believed the Postmaster General was in communication with the Treasury, with which Department the person mentioned was connected, and that the cases were under the consideration of that Department. In answer to the second Question, he might state that the Lord Chancellor was engaged in considering all those cases which came within the scope of the Address of this House, which had recently been presented to Her Majesty on the subject of corrupt practices at elections. When the noble and learned Lord had fully considered all those cases the result of his deliberation would be communicated to the House. SIR LAWRENCE PALK said he should give notice that he would, on a future day, call the attention of the House to the Report of the Commission of Inquiry respecting corrupt practices at Totnes, and to the conduct of the Duke of Somerset and his agents. THE OWNERS OF THE "CYCLONE." QUESTION. MR. GREGORY said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to bring to justice the owners of the Cyclone for their violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act? LORD STANLEY, in reply, said, he had been in communication with the Law Officers of the Crown on the subject, and he was informed that the facts at present within their knowledge did not afford sufficient evidence to justify the taking proceedings against the owners. CATTLE DISEASE.-QUESTION. MR. H. E. SURTEES said, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Council, Whether it is true that a disease has recently appeared amongst Cattle in Cornwall; and, if so, if he will inform the House what is the nature of the disease? LORD ROBERT MONTAGU replied, that a disease did break out among cattle in Cornwall, and Professor Simonds was sent down to the spot. That gentleman stated that on his arrival there he found that the disease first appeared on the 8th instant, and between that time and the 13th instant eighteen cattle were attacked in a herd of forty-six. In the course of nine days twelve of the cattle died. The Professor caused a post-mortem examination to be made, and after noting its result he continued "The disease has been entirely confined to this herd, and no fresh cases have occurred since my visit. The cessation of the malady, and its limitation to eighteen out of forty-six animals, are sufficient evidence that it is not of an infectious nature. A microscopic examination of some parts has been made by Professor Browne, and did not lead to the detection of the presence of parasitic bodies, either vegetable or animal." CHOLERA CONGRESS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.-QUESTION. SIR JERVOISE JERVOISE said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, At what time the labours of the Cholera Congress at Constantinople were concluded; and (as the Report has not been received), whether any Paper in the form of a Report from any of the Commissioners has been received, and whether it will be distributed? LORD STANLEY said, in reply, that the Cholera Congress at Constantinople closed its sittings in the month of October last. The Report of the Congress They had only received through the had not yet reached the Foreign Office. British Commissioner a kind of abstract of the work which had been performed. He did not know why the full Report had not yet arrived, and if it should be much he thought it would be better to wait for the longer delayed he would write for it; but entire document rather than to publish an abstract which might not give an accurate or complete idea of its contents. SIR JOHN PAKINGTON, in reply, said, the answer he had to give to the question of the hon. Gentleman would, he thought, be satisfactory. There was no doubt as to the existence of the power referred to. For a long period of time all colonels of regiments, in consideration of bearing the expense of recruiting, had the power to dismiss soldiers. This power was put an end to in 1784, by an Act passed on the Motion of Mr. Burke, but a special exception was made as respects the Household troops. Consequently, the power to dismiss still remained to the colonels of the Household troops. lately as 1865 an action was brought against Colonel Marshall, who now commanded the Second Life Guards, on ac So |