case Russian troops should enter Servian | medical officer of the Handsworth disterritory; and, if so, whether the De-trict of the West Bromwich Union, who, spatches could be laid upon the Table? having filled his appointment creditably MR. BOURKE: No negotiations for forty years, has lately been compelled whatever, Sir, have been carried on to retire through ill-health, but has been with regard to the subject mentioned refused a retiring allowance by the Guarin the Question of the noble Lord. dians, although he is in very straitened circumstances? MR. ERRINGTON asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is finally decided how far it will be necessary to convert the twelve Irish Rifle Regiments of Militia linked to Line Battalions into Red Regiments; and, as there is no Irish Regiment of Guards, whether he will consider the expediency of creating an Irish Rifle Brigade to which these twelve Rifle Regiments of Militia might be linked? MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, that although the subject had been under consideration there was no present intention of converting the Irish rifle regiments of Militia as referred to. With regard to the expediency of creating an Irish rifle brigade, he was afraid his finances were not in a condition to enable him to carry out such a scheme. POST OFFICE (IRELAND) POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS.-QUESTION. MR. ERRINGTON asked the Postmaster General, Whether he can hold out any hope that he will be able to make the changes in the postal service between Longford and Lonesborough, recently prayed for in an influentially signed memorial from the county Longford? LORD JOHN MANNERS: The memorial in question has been received very recently, and the inquiries necessary have not yet been completed. But I may tell the hon. Member that I can see my way to open a post-office in the village of Newton-Cashel. MR. SCLATER - BOOTH, in reply, said, he had made inquiries into the case; but the Department had no actual knowledge that the gentleman in question had applied for a retiring allowance. If he had done so, and the Guardians had refused, he (Mr. Sclater-Booth) was afraid he had no power to interfere, but, from the information he had received, it was a very hard case. FISHERIES (IRELAND)-TRAWLING IN GALWAY BAY.-QUESTION. MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries have made any reports on the subject of the experiments as to trawling in Galway Bay; and, if he will state to the House the number of vessels engaged in those experiments and lay upon the Table of the House the reports above alluded to and the reports of the officers engaged in those experiments? SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in reply, said, he had received the reports the subject; but as they were of a deof the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries on tailed character and the subject was of limited interest, he did not think it worth while to lay them on the Table, but should be happy to show them to any hon. Member." THE IRISH CHURCH COMMISSIONERS -VALUATION OF CHURCH LANDS. QUESTION. MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, What organization in the way of staff the Irish Church Commissioners employ for the POOR LAW-WEST BROMWICH UNION purpose of valuing the lands with which -CASE OF MR. DOWNS. SIR TREVOR LAWRENCE asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether his attention has been directed to the case of Mr. Downs, late Lord Robert Montagu they have to deal; what professional or official qualifications were possessed by the valuator who acted for the Commissioners in the case of Spaight v. the Church Commissioners, lately tried at Kellalor Sessions; whether the Landed Estates Court does not avail itself of the forcible conversion to the Russian the valuation office for valuation pur-RUSSIA-UNITED GREEK CHRISTIANS poses; and, whether he is prepared to IN POLAND.-QUESTIONS. suggest to the Commissioners to pursue MR. W. M. TORRENS asked the the same course in order to ensure uniUnder Secretary of State for Foreign formity of valuation ? SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH: Affairs, If any information has been The Irish Church Commissioners have, received since the presentation of the I believe, no regularly organized staff Consular Reports in April last respecting to value the lands with which they Church of the United Greek Christians have to deal, but they engage experi-in Poland, respecting the expulsion of enced valuers in each case. In the instance to which the hon. Gentleman has called attention, I am informed that the gentlemen employed had had great expe: rience in many similar cases before. It is very possible that the Landed Estates Court avails itself of the Valuation List for valuation purposes, and I have no doubt that the Temporalities Commissioners also consider the same List in dealing with the price affixed to the lands to be sold. But the hon. Member is aware that in many cases the Valuation List does not represent the real value, and, therefore, it is impossible to sell without a valuation. EGYPT-THE KHEDIVE AND THE DAIRA BONDHOLDERS.-QUESTION. SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the signature of Mr. H. Calvert, Her Britannic Majesty's Vice Consul at Alexandria, attached to an agreement between the Khedive of Egypt and the representatives of the Daira Bondholders" for the legalisation of the signature of His Excellency Cherif Pacha, Minister for Foreign Af fairs to the Egyptian Government," under date 14th July 1877, implies any official cognizance of and sanction to this transaction on the part of the British Government? MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, that Her Majesty's Government had not received a copy of the agreement which was alleged to have been made between the Khedive and the representatives of the Daira bondholders, and they therefore did not know whether Mr. Calvert had attached his signature to that document or not. If, however, Mr. Calvert had attached his signature to such a document, it was nothing further than an attestation, and implied no liability and no assent whatever on the part of Her Majesty's Government. VOL. CCXXXVI. [THIRD SERIES.] their clergy with their families from their country; and, whether the ArchRoman Catholic prelates banished from bishop Felinski, of Warsaw, and other their Sees, have yet been allowed to return to their dioceses? MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, that no Reports had been received by Her Majesty's Government since the presentation of the Report made by Colonel Mansfield, which had been laid before the House. The Government had no knowledge as to the latter part of the Question. MR. WHALLEY wished to know, If Her Majesty's Consuls had any right to inquire into the relations between the Emperor of Russia and his Roman Catholic subjects, and if so, what was the nature of that right? [Cries of "Order!"] MR. BOURKE replied that Her Majesty's Consuls were bound to report upon all political subjects on which they thought it prudent to report in respect of the countries to which they were accredited. THE QUEEN v. CASTRO-JEAN LUIE. QUESTION. MR. WHALLEY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether Jean Luie, a witness in the Tichborne Trial, is now in this country; and, if so, in what prison; whether he intends to reply to letters addressed to him by Charles Dunsby, one of the Tichborne jurymen,. as to a Memorial to Her Majesty; and, whether, in reference to a newly invented instrument called an identiscope, whereby scientific certainty is alleged to be secured as to the original of photographic portraits taken at different periods and brought to his notice, it is his intention to make any inquiry; and, if not, whether he will receive and consider the evidence of photographic experts in support of such proof of identity? MR. ASSHETON CROSS: Yes, Sir, | they will abstain from acting upon that I believe Jean Luie is in this country-Report until the House shall have had at least, I hope so. He is, or should the opportunity of seeing the evidence be, in Portland Prison. The last letter upon which it is based and of discussing from Mr. Dunsby was written, I believe, the subject? on July 30, and answered on the 4th of August. I know nothing whatever about the identiscope. I believe this gentleman did allude to such an invention in one of his letters; but I know nothing about the merits of the instrument. In this case every paper which is sent in will receive the consideration which is due to it. MR. WHALLEY asked the right hon. Gentleman, whether he would make further inquiry as to the accuracy of the photograph? MR. ASSHETON CROSS said, he had nothing before him which would induce him to make any further inquiries. POST OFFICE-APPOINTMENTS OF OFFICIALS.-QUESTION. MR. P. A. TAYLOR asked the Postmaster General, Whether he will consider the propriety of adopting some plan for the appointment of Post Office officials which would be free from all suspicion of political bias? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Sir, I cannot make any pledge as to the exercise of our present powers during the Recess, because a fresh outbreak of the Cattle Plague might occur, and it might be necessary to take strong measures for the purpose of suppressing it. But, as at present advised, we consider that the measures we have adopted have been successful in checking and so far in stamping out the disease, and we have no present intention of making any alteration in regard to them. The Government will, however, carefully consider the recommendations of the Committee during the Recess. RUSSIA AND TURKEY - RUMOURED PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.-QUESTION LORD ROBERT MONTAGU asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If direct negotiations are now being carried on between the Czar and the Sultan without any participation by the rest of Europe; and, whether the British and Austrian Governments have protested against such a contin LORD JOHN MANNERS, in reply, said, that the present system of appoint-gency, as a separate peace? ing Post Office officials was one of long standing, and although from time to time suggestions of alterations, free from the suspicion referred to in the Question, had been made, they had not been found practicable or advisable. At the same time, he was far from saying that the present system was not capable of improvement and he was prepared during the Recess to give his consideration to the subject and to communicate with the Treasury thereupon. MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, that the Government had no knowledge of any negotiations that were going on between the Emperor of Russia and the Sultan, and therefore they could not make any protest, nor did he know of any such protest on the part of the Austrian Government. CATTLE PLAGUE AND IMPORTATION MR. DODSON asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to adopt and give effect, during the Recess, to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Select Committee on Cattle Plague and Importation of Live Stock as far as their present powers enable them, or whether POOR LAW SYSTEM (IRELAND). QUESTION. MR. MACARTNEY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether the statement is correct which appeared in the morning papers of Tuesday last that the Honourable W. le Poer Trench, Mr. Andrew Doyle, and Mr. Charles Sharman Crawford have been appointed Commissioners to inquire into the working of the Poor Law System in Ireland? SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in reply, said, it was true that those gentlemen had been appointed Commissioners, not, however, to inquire into the working of the Poor Law system in Ireland, but to inquire into the special points mentioned by him in reply to a previous Question put by an hon. Friend. THE "FAVOURED NATION CLAUSE." SPAIN-COMMERCIAL TREATIES. QUESTIONS. MR. W. E. FORSTER asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether there be any Favoured Nation Clause in respect to tariffs in any of our Treaties with Spain? The right hon. Gentleman explained that the reason he repeated the Question was, that the Spanish Government had lately admitted goods from other foreign countries, including Germany, upon better terms than those upon which English goods were admitted. The Foreign Office had, he understood, made representations; but there was a great doubt in the minds of those who were acquainted with the matter in this country, as to whether there was any Favoured Nation Clause in our Treaties with Spain. He understood the Under Secretary on a former occasion to state his belief that there was such a clause; but he had promised to again look into the matter. MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, the right hon. Gentleman was quite right in stating what he had said the other day in connection with the subject. He (Mr. Bourke) was quite correct in what he then stated. In our ancient Treaties with Spain there were very many clauses which contained the most Favoured Nation provisions. All those ancient Treaties were confirmed in the year 1814, when it was contended that all those Treaties, and especially those clauses, retained their full force. In 1845 a correspondence took place upon the subject between Lord Aberdeen and the Spanish Minister who was then in England, M. Sotomayer, and in that correspondence Lord Aberdeen modified to a great extent the scope of the clauses which were then in existence with regard to the most Favoured Nation Treaty. That correspondence was laid upon the Table of the House of Commons, and an important debate took place upon the subject, in the course of which there was a very memorable speech made by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Greenwich (Mr. Gladstone), who repre sented Lord Aberdeen's views on the matter. At that period Lord Aberdeen disputed that the most Favoured Nation clause in our ancient Treaties referred to property in commerce as well as to persons. The then Spanish Minister contended that it referred to both; but Lord Aberdeen maintained that it only referred to persons. A correspondence had quite lately taken place in which the subject had come up again, and it was still under discussion between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government. Her Majesty's Government, as he stated the other day, instructed our Chargé d'affaires at Madrid to urge the Spanish Government to grant a most Favoured Nation Treaty to this country; but the reply had not yet been received. MR. W. Ě. FORSTER wished to ask, Whether the Government, in addition to urging upon the Spanish Government the existence of a Favoured Nation Clause, were thus also taking steps to protect our manufacturers against these differential duties? MR. BOURKE said, the whole question was before the Chargé d'affaires at Madrid, and the only thing the Government could do was to instruct him to impress upon the Spanish Government the views of Her Majesty's Government, about which, of course, there could be no doubt, as their only object must be to obtain most Favoured Nation rights. About British commerce there was a doubt raised by Lord Aberdeen, which had been more or less in dispute ever since; but about British subjects there was no doubt. AFRICA-WEST COAST-OUTRAGES NEAR CONGO QUESTIONS. MR. W. E. FORSTER asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can give any information as to the drowning of thirtytwo Africans by orders of the superintendent of a Dutch factory near Congo, as reported in the "Daily Telegraph,' and especially whether a British subject was implicated in this murder? He might add that he had received from the best private source a confirmation of this dreadful story, and also, he ought to state, that the British subject was said to be an Englishman. MR. BOURKE: We have received a Report upon this subject, in which se EGYPT SLAVE TRADE IN THE RED able discussion. MR. ANDERSON (for Mr. EVELYN ASHLEY) asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether a Convention with the Khedive of Egypt for the suppression of the Slave Trade in the Red Sea had been signed; and, if so, whether he will lay it upon the Table of the House before the prorogation of Parliament ? MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, that a telegram had been received from Mr. Vivian that a Convention had been signed with the Khedive of Egypt for the suppression of the Slave Trade in the Red Sea. He doubted, however, whether it could arrive in time to be laid upon the Table before the Prorogation of Parliament. ARMY-PROMOTION AND RETIREMENT THE EASTERN QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I wish to make an appeal to my hon. Friend the Member for West Norfolk (Mr. Bentinck), who has given Notice of his intention upon the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill to "call attention to the state of affairs under which Parliament was about to be prorogued, with special reference to the Note addressed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Russian Ambassador on the 6th of May last." We all feel the natural interest which the House must take in the discussion of foreign affairs; but I wish to say on the part of the Government that it would be in their opinion disadvantageous to the public interests that there should be PURCHASE CAPTAINS IN HOUSE- any general discussion of the subject at HOLD BRIGADE.-QUESTION. CAPTAIN MILNE HOME asked the Secretary of State for War, What modifications he has decided on introducing into the Army Retirement Scheme with regard to Purchase Captains in the Household Cavalry and Cavalry; and, if he will remove their disqualification from promotion after twenty-five years' service, as laid down in the proposed scheme, in order to insure them as far as possible the same chances of promotion as they had before 1871 ? the present moment. I hope, therefore, that under these circumstances my hon. Friend will be good enough not to proceed with the discussion. MR. BENTINCK: Sir, in answer to the appeal made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I can only say that, looking at the present state of affairs, I have listened to that appeal with much regret. I can assure the House I did not put down the Notice which stands in my name on light grounds, and, moreover, I had the support of many hon. Gentlemen whose opinions I highly value. But looking to the fact that the Cabinet must be in possession of infor MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, he hoped that the Warrant would be very shortly in the hands of the Army,mation that is not possessed by the so that officers might see the exact extent in which their interests were affected. His hon. and gallant Friend appeared to think that the 25 years would come Mr. Bourke House, and looking also to the fact that the Government must be held responsible for its conduct of the affairs of the country, I feel that after the appeal |