the House thought otherwise, and con- | at all events, that they will entertain sidered it better some other fund should the proposal for another day. be taken, we should consider any proposal in that direction rather than abandon our Bill-because that is not a cardinal point. We still contend that the fund we have named is the one to take; but, of course, we will bow to the opinion of the House in the matter. I hope that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will accede to the request I have made. SIR HARCOURT JOHNSTONE, as representing a constituency, seven-eighths of his supporters being Nonconformists, would give his hearty assent to the principle of the Bill, because it would not subsidize denominational education, and it was the duty of Parliament to pass a measure that would be thoroughly satisfactory to the people of Ireland. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I am sorry to say, in reply to the appeal which has been made to the Government, that we are unable to respond to that appeal, at all events, at the present time. I quite acknowledge the importance of the measure and of the subject; but I must remind the House of the great difficulties which the Members of the Government themselves experience in proceeding with their own Business. It is, therefore, not in my power to name a day for the resumption of the debate. quest. MAJOR NOLAN: I think that the reply of the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to be regretted. The Leader of the Opposition has applied to the right hon. Gentleman to afford a day on which THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON: this discussion might be resumed; but It is hardly necessary that I should say the Chancellor of the Exchequer, acting a word in support of the appeal which contrary to the ordinary usages of the has been made by my hon. Friend the House, does not see his way to do so. Member for Roscommon, that the Go- I maintain that it is a most unusual vernment should give him some facili- thing, when the Leader of the Opposities for the further consideration of this tion asks for a day, for the Leader of Bill. I do not wish to press the speech the House to refuse that day. Other of the Chancellor of the Exchequer any Irish Business was given up upon this further than it is reasonable to do. I Wednesday, in order that the Bill of did not understand the right hon. Gen- my hon. Friend might be taken; and a tleman to commit either himself or the wish having been expressed for another Government to the support of even the day from the front Opposition Bench, I principle of the Bill; but I did gather think the Chancellor of the Exchequer from his speech that the right hon. Gen- has taken a somewhat extraordinary tleman had applied his mind to the sub-course in declining to accede to this reject, and that on their being satisfied on certain points which he indicated, it was possible that the Bill might meet with the support of the Government. In these circumstances, and looking to the large amount of support which has been given to the Bill on both sides of the House, I cannot doubt the Government will be anxious that such an opportunity as seems now to present itself of settling this long-standing and difficult question should be taken advantage of, and I hope that they will give an oppor-venience, in order to be present at the tunity for the further prosecution of the debate. If the Government intend, on further consideration, to oppose the Bill altogether, the measure can probably be disposed of at another Sitting. But, on the other hand, if the Government, on examination, clearly approve of the principle of the Bill, it will then be a matter for consideration how much time they may be able to give to it. I hope, MR. PARNELL: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has always shown himself to be very desirous of doing everything in his power to meet the convenience of the Irish Members-at least, that has been my experience, and, I believe, it has been the experience of other hon. Gentlemen. What is the position of the Irish Members? Most of them, including myself, have come over here at the greatest possible incon second reading of this Bill, and if the Chancellor of the Exchequer refuses to name a day, at some time or other, when the consideration of the subject may be resumed, we shall be placed in the position of being obliged to hang about the House waiting for the Bill to come on. On the other hand, if a day were appointed as requested, we could return with clear consciences to our pur suits in our own country. I do hope the | Kain, owner of the barque "Dora," right hon. Gentleman will re-consider under a recent decision of the Court of the point. Common Pleas, and confirmed on Appeal; what is the amount of legal expenses incurred by the Board of Trade in the matter, and which they will have to pay in addition to the damages and Mr. Kain's costs; and, whether the experience of working the Survey Clauses of the Act of 1876 has not been such as to show that they require amendment? SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL: I am glad the Chancellor of the Exchequer has not given a day. However, I merely rise to say that if there should be an adjourned debate on the question, I shall, after what I have heard to-day, ask permission to withdraw my Amendment, in favour of another Amendment, pure and simple, to the effect that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. | Motion agreed to. Debate adjourned till To-morrow. ENTAIL (SCOTLAND) BILL. On Motion of Mr. JAMES BARCLAY, Bill to amend the Law of Entail in Scotland, ordered to be brought in by Mr. JAMES BARCLAY and Mr. MACKINTOSH. Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 193.] House adjourned at ten minutes HOUSE OF COMMONS, Thursday, 22nd May, 1879. MINUTES.]-SUPPLY-considered in Committee Third Reading-Public Health (Scotland) Pro- QUESTIONS. MERCHANT SHIPPING ACTS-"KAIN v. FARMER."—QUESTION. MR. MAC IVER asked the President of the Board of Trade, Out of what funds the Department will provide the £1,600 damages required to be paid to Mr. Mr. Parnell VISCOUNT SANDON: Provision is annually made for law charges in the Board of Trade Vote, and out of this Vote the damages in the case of "Kain v. Farmer" will, I believe, be paid. The costs have not yet been made out, so I cannot give the information desired on this point. As to the third part of the Question, I would remind my hon. Friend that the case of the Dora, about which the trial was held, arose under the Act of 1873, and not under that of 1876, under which the Board of Trade at present takes its proceedings. I cannot say that my experience of the Board of Trade, which, of course, has not been a long one, has at all made me feel that the Survey Clauses of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1876, which were adopted by Parliament after long and full consideration, ought at present to be altered. CRIMINAL LAW (IRELAND)—THE QUESTIONS. MR. O'DONNELL asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it had come to his notice that, on the 3rd instant, before the Dungarvan magistrates, a poor woman, who had never before been accused of any crime (and with a destitute family, the youngest being an infant in arms), was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour, for the theft of a small quantity of milk of the estimated value of two pence; whether, on the same date, and before the same magistrates, another prisoner, convicted of the theft of some articles of clothing of the estimated value of one pound, was sentenced to only seven days' imprisonment; and, whether, if the facts be so, he will take steps to procure the remission of her punishment? MR. J. LOWTHER: Mr. Speaker, as far as I have been able to ascertain THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Her Majesty's Government do not think it would be convenient, at the present time, to enter into details with regard to these proceedings; but I may say that the influence of the Government has been, and is being, exerted in order to procure the acceptance by Turkey of the recommendations of the Congress of Berlin, which were of a general character. Papers 'are being prepared on the subject, and will be laid on the Table. PATENTS—THE PATENTS FOR INVEN TIONS BILL.-QUESTIONS. the circumstances of the two cases al-vernment are supporting or opposing a luded to, I am disposed to think that line which would include the City of the magistrates were right in the course Janina in the Kingdom of Greece? they adopted. The case first referred to was that of a woman named Mary Heffernan, who was employed in a situation of trust, having charge of a dairy, of which the keys were placed in her possession. It was proved by witnesses that she had been seen on more than one occasion making away with the property of her employer; and I consider that the Bench was fully justified in taking these circumstances into consideration in apportioning the sentence. With respect to the second case, which was that of a woman named Catherine Maloney, she pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing articles of clothing valued at 78. 6d.; but urged as an excuse that there were arrears of wages due to her at the time amounting to £2 16s., and Attorney General, When he will lay that she had pawned the stolen goods upon the Table the promised statement as a payment on account. The fact of showing the number of Patents prothe wages being due was admitted; and longed by the Privy Council in each year since 1870? He also desired to although, of course, it could afford no ask what were the intentions of the Gojustification for the robbery, the magis-vernment with reference to the Patents trates were, I think, justified in taking for Inventions Bill? into consideration all the circumstances THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir of the case, as well as the mere question JOHN HOLKER): I have obtained the of the pecuniary value of the stolen articles, which, in the majority of in-statement referred to; and I will take stances, forms only a limited portion of steps to lay it on the Table of the House the matters to be considered in appor- the Patents for Inventions Bill this Sesto-morrow. I hope [to be able to pass tioning sentences. sion; and if the House would only allow I right hon. Gentleman, if it is true that the measure to be read a second time, think I could agree to every Amendment which has been proposed. MR. O'DONNELL: I would ask the this was the first offence with which this woman was charged; and, being only a very small offence, whether the punishment was not excessive? MR. J. LOWTHER said, he understood it was the first time she had been charged; although it was proved at the same hearing that she had been seen on more than one occasion committing the act referred to. CONGRESS OF BERLIN-THE GREEK FRONTIER.-QUESTION. MR. LAING asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the influence of the British Government is being exerted to procure the acceptance by Turkey of the line of frontier for Greece recommended by the Congress of Berlin, or, on the contrary, in supporting Turkey in offering a less favourable line; and, specially, whether Her Majesty's Go MR. B. SAMUELSON asked Mr. ARMY-BALANCES OF DECEASED SOLDIERS.-QUESTION. MAJOR O'BEIRNE asked the Secretary of State for War, If it is possible to devise a more effectual method of publication than the present one, in order to make known to the relatives of deceased soldiers the balances they are entitled to receive? COLONEL STANLEY: The list of unclaimed balances belonging to deceased soldiers was formerly advertised in The London Gazette, The Standard, The Irish Times, and other papers; but in consequence of the expense involved-£93 odd-in one publication, it was decided to publish a list in The London Gazette only. I am not certain, at the present moment, what better mode can be adopted for making known to the relatives of deceased soldiers the balances they are entitled to; but I am inclined to think that if the brigade depôts were made more generally the centres of information respecting men, some advantage might be secured. attention has been called to a case tried before the stipendiary magistrates a few days ago at Birkenhead, when Thomas Critchley and William Suxden were fined one shilling each and £5 128. costs between them, or in default to go to gaol for seven days, for "besetting the ap ARMY -VETERINARY WARRANT OF proaches to Messrs. Brassey's Engine MAY 1, 1878.-QUESTION. COLONEL ARBUTHNOT asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any and what steps have been taken with a view to the amendment of the Veterinary Warrant of 1st of May 1878, in consequence of representations which have been made relative to the same; and, whether any decision has been arrived at? COLONEL STANLEY: No, Sir; no decision has yet been arrived at. POST OFFICE-THE CHINA MAILS. QUESTION. MR. DALRYMPLE asked the Postmaster General, If his attention has been specially called to the inconvenience and loss caused to persons engaged in the China trade by an arrangement contained in the new Postal Contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, by which a stoppage on the homeward voyage of forty-eight hours at Hong Kong has been assented to, when no mail necessity can be pleaded in justification (as twenty-four hours are sufficient on the outward voyage), in order that the steamer carrying the mails may load homeward cargo? LORD JOHN MANNERS, in reply, said, the duration of the stoppage at Hong Kong of the homeward packet from Shanghai, under the new Contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, was the same as at presentnamely, 48 hours, and it was understood that this interval was of advantage to the China merchants, most of whom had branch houses or agencies at Hong Kong. This stay of 48 hours at Hong Kong was a stipulation of the Peninsular and Oriental Company in their tender, and formed part of it. CONSPIRACY AND PROTECTION OF PROPERTY ACT, 1875-"BESETTING." QUESTION. MR. BURT asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his Colonel Stanley Works, with a view to compelling two of the workmen to leave their employment;" whether, as the defendants were admitted by the magistrates to have used "no threats or violence" their conviction case, due regard has been had to the can be justified; and, whether, in this definition of "besetting," as given in the latter part of the seventh section of "The Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875?" MR. ASSHETON CROSS: This, Sir, is an important point; and the parties. have very properly appealed. That being so, and as the matter is awaiting the decision of a Court of Law, it would be manifestly improper on my part to express any opinion on the subject. SOUTH AFRICA-THE FORCES IN ZULULAND-QUESTIONS. MR. WADDY asked the Secretary of State for War, What is the total number of British and Colonial Forces, naval and military, and of all arms now in Zululand; and, what troops, if any, are on their way thither or are under orders to depart? COLONEL STANLEY, in reply, said, the total number, according to the last Return of the British Forces, was 16,959, in addition to 1,064 men on the passage out and 1,615 under orders to embark. The Colonial troops were, so far as he had been able to ascertain, something like 4,453 of all arms. had no Returns of the Naval Force. The troops under orders to embark were, for the most part, drafts. He MR. WADDY said, that perhaps the First Lord of the Admiralty could inform the House what was the amount of the Naval Force? MR. W. H. SMITH: The number of men landed from the ships is 850 bluejackets and Marines. INDIA-THE DISTURBANCES IN BOM- MR. HANBURY asked the Under either side, above and below mountains, western ARMY - REGIMENTAL COMMANDS- MAJOR NOLAN asked the Secretary of State for War, If the general rule in regiments of Cavalry and Infantry is that Officers hold their commands for five years only; if, however, there are certain exceptional regiments in which the Commanding Officers hold their commands for terms beyond five years, whether the practical effect of such exceptional retention of command will be to cause junior Officers to be retired against their will under the new retiring scheme; and, if so, whether steps will be taken to mitigate the exceptional severity which the combined effect of the new retirement scheme and the exceptional prolongation of the Lieutenant Colonels' command will have on the prospects of junior Officers in such regiments? "Your Lordship's telegram regarding Deccan troubles. Recent Dacoities occurred in villages, border, Poona and Sattara districts. Robbery only, not murder. Plans laid for seizing money and valuables, to be secreted in hilly jungles for future use. Dacoits, hill men of COLONEL STANLEY: As a general hardy, daring character, led by one or two edu- rule, in regiments of Cavalry and Incated persons. Numbers small; not exceeding 300. They are in two or three gangs; but fantry, officers should hold commands steep hills and thick jungle favour their opera- for five years only; but, in the contions. First symptoms early last March, when cluding sentence of the Royal Warrant, we placed detachinents of troops at all the prin- provision was made for the extension of cipal places near Eastern side of mountains to the term in the case of lieutenant prevent evil spreading, besides increased police precautions. Original leader and gang soon colonels in command, in the event of captured. Trouble checked end March to their being called on, or engaged in, middle April; began again end April. Addi- active service in the field, or under other tional detachments of troops despatched, and special circumstances. The practical special pursuing parties organized under European officers. Capture of one desperate gang effect on the junior officers might posjust effected, and stolen property recovered; sibly be prejudicial in bringing them leader not caught, but systematically pursued. under the operation of the compulsory Poona city fires directed against two old Mah- clause of the Warrant; and it is a matratta palaces, used by British for public pur-ter worthy of consideration whether in poses. The incendiarism probably intended to annoy Government. Dacoities at present quite localized. Cause believed to be general. No local reason yet shown to exist. No sign of agrarian trouble. Distress increasing in Eastern Deccan, but relief administered." As regards the last Question of the hon. Gentleman, I have only to say that the subject has been under the very careful consideration of Her Majesty's Government; and the Government of Bombay have recently prepared a Bill, mainly in accordance with certain suggestions sent out to them from the Secretary of State in Council. That Bill is now under the consideration of the Government of India. There will be no objection, when a conclusion has been arrived at upon it, to lay it on the Table. such cases the retirement of the officers should be dated from the five years' tenure; or, in other words, that the appointments in succession to them should be ante-dated to that extent. I think that such an arrangement might answer financially and otherwise. ARMY-CIVIL EMPLOYMENT FOR DIS CHARGED SOLDIERS.-QUESTION. SIR HENRY HAVELOCK asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, considering the universally acknowledged and daily increasing difficulties of obtaining old and experienced noncommissioned officers for the Army, he has taken any steps to carry out the recommendations of the Select Committee presided over by the Right honourable Member for Pontefract in 1875 and 1876, |