NEW MEMBERS SWORN. John Aloysius Blake, esquire, for Carlow County. The Honble. Edward Marjoribanks, for Berwick County. The Right honble. Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt, knight, for Derby Borough. Cardiff Borough, v. Sir Edward James Reed, K.C.B., Commissioner of the Treasury. Borough of Grantham, v. John William Mellor, esquire, Judge Advocate General. NEW MEMBER SWORN. The Right honble. William Ewart Alexander Asher, esquire, for Elgin Gladstone, for Edinburgh County. District of Burghs. The Right honble. Anthony John Mundella, for Sheffield (Brightside Division). Cyril Flower, esquire, for Bedford County (Luton Division). The Right honble. John Morley, for Newcastle upon Tyne. The Right honble. John Blair Balfour, for Combined Counties of Clackmannan and Kinross. The Honble. Charles Robert Spencer, for Northampton County (Mid Division). The Right honble. Edward Heneage, for Great Grimsby. Charles Russell, esquire, for Hackney (South Division). The Right honble. George Otto Trevelyan, for Hawick District of Burghs. CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS. Mr. SPEAKER informed the House that he had received the following Communication from the Judges selected, in pursuance of The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, for the Trial of Election Peti tions: St. Andrews Election. The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868. Unto the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons. We, Andrew Rutherford Clark, Lord Rutherford Clark, and Robert Lee, Lord Lee, two of the Judges of the Court of Session in Scotland, and two of the Judges for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in Scotland, pur suant to "The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868," and "The Parliamentary and Corrupt Practices Act, 1879," do hereby certify, That, at the conclusion of the trial of an Election The Right honble. Joseph Chamber-ther, of Balcaskie, Fife, baronet, a candidate at Petition, at the instance of Sir Robert Anstrulain, for Birmingham (West Division). The Right honble. Sir Lyon Playfair, K.C.B., for Leeds (South Division). Robert William Duff, esquire, for Banff County. The Right honble. Hugh Culling Eardley Childers, for Burgh of Edinburgh (South Division). The Right honble. Henry CampbellBannerman, for Stirling District of Burghs. George Granville Leveson Gower, esquire, for Stafford County (North Western Division). Sir James Porter Corry, baronet, for Armagh County (Mid Division). For NEW WRITS ISSUED. Flintshire, v. The Right honble. Richard de Aguila Grosvenor, commonly called Lord Richard Grosvenor, Chiltern Hundreds. Somerset County (Southern Division), v. The Right honble. Frederick Edward Gould Lambart, commonly called Viscount Kilcoursie, Vice Chamberlain of the Household. the Election for the St. Andrews District of Burghs in December 1885, praying to have it determined that the double Return made at the said Election was an undue Return within the meaning of the said first-mentioned Act, and that the Petitioner was duly elected, and ought to have been returned as Member for the said 15th instant, and on this day, holden before us District of Burghs, which trial was on the in Edinburgh, we did find and determine that the said Return was an undue Return within the meaning of the said Act, and that the Petitioner, the said Sir Robert Anstruther, baronet, turned as Member for the said St. Andrews was duly elected, and ought to have been reDistrict of Burghs. Given under our hands at Edinburgh, this 16th day of February 1886. POLICY OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE): Sir, I wish to give Notice that I shall, on Monday, move to refer the question of the Procedure of the House of Commons to a Select Committee. I may add that it was our intention to propose that this Select Committee should be of a number considerably exceeding the usual number of 15. Perhaps I may be permitted to go further, and state for the convenience of the House, and as far as we can forecast it, the course of Public Business. First, with respect to the Addresswhich comes on to-night-it may be for the convenience of hon. Gentlemen to know that we propose, after having fully considered the subject-a novel one in some points of view-to accept the Address in substance exactly as it is-that is to say, the portion of it which may be considered to be virtually adopted by the House down to the Amendment of my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Jesse Collings), which was carried by a majority; and likewise the remaining portion of the Address down to the close, as far as the substance is concerned. But the lapse of time requires some grammatical changes-strictly and purely grammatical-to make the Address congruous and consistent with reference to the circumstances which now exist. I could state those grammatical changes; but I think they would be hardly intelligible to the House, and that I had better reserve them. Then, Sir, I have to say that, that being the case, we should not be able to give our assent, I am afraid, to any Amendments that might be moved to the Addressone of which we have already heard from my hon. Friend the Member for North Bedfordshire (Mr. Magniac)-for the obvious reason that if we were to entertain any one Amendment we could not consistently refuse our assent to the introduction of other subjects, and I think considerable confusion would probably result. I may also say, in regard to one of the Amendments of which Notice has been given, relating to the crofter population, that my right hon. Friend near me (Mr. Trevelyan) will tonight give Notice of his intention to introduce a Bill, on a very early day, with reference to that subject. So much for the subject of Procedure, and so much for the subject, urgent undoubtedly, of the crofters. After that the House will, I am sure, have regard to the date which we have now reached. We are now at the 18th of February. There are eight days at the command of the Government, according to the usage of the House, between this time and the 22nd of March, on or about which date it is absolutely necessary to introduce a Financial Bill for the purpose of observing the law in regard to the Accounts of the year and passing the Estimates. These eight days, we must calculate, will probably be required in the main for disposing of the Supplementary Estimates of the present year, and for dealing with the great Votes of the Military and Naval Services, in order to place those Services in cash, and, in conformity with usage, to enable the Business of the country to proceed in a regular manner. We do not, therefore, contemplate any serious interruption to that course of Business within the period I have named. An hon. Member opposite, the Member for South Belfast (Mr. Johnston), has given me Notice of his intention to ask a Question to-morrow with respect to the state of Ireland, and the intentions of Her Majesty's Government as regards Ireland. I will anticipate the answer to the Question as far as I am able, because I have no doubt the House will make all due allowance for the circumstances of the case, notwithstanding all the information I can give. Sir, from the first moment-and the first moment has hardly passed since the Cabinet met for the first time on Monday-we have made our first care the state of Ireland, and the subject will be one occupying our unceasing attention. I may say-for, indeed, it has been announced in the addresses of various Members of the Government to their constituents-that we do not propose to meet the case of Ireland by suggesting to the House, at the present moment, the re-enactment of repressive criminal legislation. Of course, we are well aware, as the hon. Gentleman who has just given his Notice has observed, that the state of Ireland requires the closest attention, and is not to be disposed of by merely negative assertion. Our desire is, and our endeavour will be, to introduce measures of a positive | not, of course, be in Order for me to and substantive character in the House, make any comment upon that matter which may deal with the case of Ire- now; but I would ask the right hon. land in the various aspects in which it Gentleman to be good enough to inis now presented to us, both in respect form us precisely of the grammatical to social order, which must necessarily Amendments-as he has been pleased be on all occasions the question first to characterize them-which it is the offering itself to the notice of an Execu- intention of the Government to make tive Government, with respect to the in the Address, so that we may have great subject of land, and with respect an opportunity of considering them to any measure which requires attention before being called upon to resume in connection with the future govern- the debate. I would further ask the ment of Ireland, and the method of that right hon. Gentleman whether he will government. The time which will ne- place on the Paper the terms of the Recessarily be occupied with the financial ference to the Select Committee on the Business of the year will be studiously subject of Procedure; and whether it is applied by us to maturing as rapidly as his intention to frame any Resolutions possible [Laughter from the Opposition] or Standing Orders of the nature of those -I do not know whether the implica- which I placed on the Paper when I was tion is that there are Gentlemen in this responsible for the Business of the House to whom the state of Ireland is a House, in order to give that Committee subject so easy that they have in their some material for its consideration with minds, ready for production, some the authority of Her Majesty's Governsimple and satisfactory method of deal- ment? ing with it. That is not our view of the MR. W. E. GLADSTONE: Unmatter. Our view is that the subject is doubtedly I will place upon the Table the one of the greatest importance, and one terms of the Reference to the Select Comof very great complexity and of enor-mittee as we shall propose them; and I mous responsibility. Therefore, we shall will then make such a statement of our not fear to ask the House for such time intentions in regard to the proceedings as may be necessary for us to give the of the Committee as I hope will, in subsubject the consideration which we think stance, meet the views of the right hon. it requires. I was about to say that Gentleman. With respect to the gramafter that necessary financial Business matical Amendments which we propose has been gone through-and I named to make in the Address, I will explain the 22nd of March as the date when the them at once to the right hon. GentleHouse will probably have disposed of man, if he has the Address in his hands the most urgent matters of Supply-by and will be good enough to follow me. that time I shall hope to be in a condi- I conceive the Address to have been tion to make some further indication to substantially, though not formally, the House as to either the whole or some adopted by the House down to the part of the proposals we may have to word "tenure" in the paragraph remake for dealing with the substantive lating to agriculture which was adopted and positive and I hope in a somewhat upon the Motion of my hon. Friend the permanent form-with the great ques- Member for Ipswich (Mr. Jesse Coltion of the state of Ireland. That, Sir, lings). The first Amendment is in the is what I have to say on the subject of paragraph relating to Ireland, in the the course of Public Business. If there last paragraph but one of the second is any other question which hon. Mem- page, the ninth line from the bottom of bers wish me to answer I shall be very the page. The next paragraph will not glad to do so. require any amendment whatever, as far as I can see, until we get to the word "leads," towards the close of the paragraph. When we get to near the end of the paragraph, in the fourth line from the end, I shall propose to substitute the word "led" for the word "leads;" and in the last line but one to substitute the word "look" for the word "looks." The next paragraph relates to the mea SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH: We shall, Sir, I apprehend, upon the resumption of the debate on the Address in answer to Her Majesty's Gracious Speech, have an opportunity of commenting upon the somewhat surprising statement of the right hon. Gentleman with reference to the intentions of the Government towards Ireland. It would Mr. W. E. Gladstone Greece; what action Her Majesty's Government will take in the event of the Greek Fleet attempting to attack the Turkish ports; and, whether the Government is acting in concert with all the Powers of Europe; and, if not, what Powers have dissented? sures which it was the intention of the late | he is in a position to inform the House Government to submit to Parliament; as to the condition of the affairs of but as we could not very well recognize any responsibility in reference to their intentions, I propose to substitute the word "would" for the word "will," in the first line of that paragraph. In the last line but one of the same paragraph, after the word "Ireland," I propose to substitute the word "was" for the word "is;" and after the word "measures," in the same line, to substitute the word "would" for the word "will." The next Amendment is one which is intended to correct an error in the original drafting of the Address. The last paragraph but two of the Address runs thus-"Humbly to thank Her Majesty that a Bill for facilitating the sale of Glebe Lands," and so forth. That passage will require the insertion of certain words. We do not mean to be critics of the style of those who have gone before us; but we think the paragraph requires the insertion of some words to thank Her Majesty for making known to us that the Bill for the sale of Glebe Lands "would" be introduced. Then, in the second line, I propose to strike out the word "will," and insert the word "would." The next paragraph-the last but one-does not appear to require any amendment whatever; and in the last paragraph we propose to strike out nearly the whole of the second line. The paragraph now runs "Humbly to assure Her Majesty that our careful consideration shall be given to the subjects which Her Majesty has recommended to our attention, and to the measures which may be submitted to us." Of course, we cannot refer to the subjects and measures which the late Government proposed to submit; and we, therefore, propose that the last paragraph should read as follows: "Humbly to assure Her Majesty that our careful consideration shall be given to the measures which may be submitted to us." These are the Amendments which we propose. THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE): I should like to answer the Question with the greatest caution. I should have answered with greater advantage if I had had a little Notice of the Question; but I have before me the substance of a statement which will be made by my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the House of Lords. My noble Friend and his Colleagues with him are of opinion that it would be most injurious that there should at this moment be any ambiguity as to the views and intentions of Her Majesty's Government. It might be most injurious to leave in doubt what those views and intentions are. We recognize the critical state of affairs in Eastern Europe, and we are aware how much depends upon the action which may be taken in respect of Greece. The affairs in the Balkans are by no means settled; but, of course, those affairs may be very materially affected by what happens in regard to Greece. Reference has been made in the Question to the Concert of Europe, and it is a matter of full satisfaction that the Great Powers of Europe have been acting together upon this occasion; and in the spirit of that Concert we shall, undoubtedly, continue to act. It is a great satisfaction to us to be able to follow without any deviation, so far as I am aware, in the course which appears to us, according to our best knowledge, to have been marked out by our Predecessors in Office with respect to this very important question of peace in Eastern Europe. On entering Office I may say that the very first step taken by us was to ascertain precisely-in fact, it was taken by myself individually at the moment when I had accepted Office at the hands of Her Majesty-to ascertain exactly the state of the engagements of the late Government-that being the point which it was our first duty to consider and to let it be known beyond all possibility of doubt that these engagements would be strictly adhered to. Of course, it is possible to draw a distinction | not aware that in any case any of their between engagements and the policy agents had ever interfered in such which led to those engagements; but I matters. am bound to say that, while adopting the engagements as a matter of good faith, we see no reason to separate ourselves from a policy which we believe to be directed to the peace of Europe and to the maintenance of public right, and I must also say, in our judgment, to the true interests of Greece herself. think that is the substance of what will be said by my noble Friend in the other House. PRISONS (IRELAND)—MOUNTJOY CONVICT PRISON. MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the representations Tmade by the Catholic Chaplain in Mountjoy Convict Prison, and published in the last Report of the General Prisons Board, with regard to the punishments inflicted in that prison; and, whether it is a fact that men, the majority of them weak in body as well as in mind, sometimes to the number of twelve or fourteen at a time, are chained at the right wrist and the right ankle with a chain varying in weight from five to ten pounds, and sometimes so kept day and night, without intermission, for MR. JOSEPH COWEN: I only further wish to ask whether all the Powers are in concert on this question, or whether there is anyone dissenting? MR. W. E. GLADSTONE: The Note which formed the basis of our proceedings is a Collective Note to which all the six Great Powers are parties; and all the six Powers have, I believe, in the strongest manner, as far as I am acquainted with their proceedings, urged upon Greece the wisdom and expediency of adopting the course recommended in the Note. THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS-EXTRAORDINARY TITHE. MR. T. H. BOLTON asked the Right honourable gentleman the Member for the University of Oxford, as an Ecclesiastical Commissioner, Whether he has seen a Report in The Tunbridge Wells Advertiser, of the 5th February instant, of a trial in the Tunbridge County Court of Kent (Eden v. Vinson), by which it appears that a Mr. Charles Gideon Stevens, a witness who described himself as "the Agent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners" assisted the Vicar of Ticehurst in the levying of a distress for extraordinary tithe; and, whether it is part of the duty of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners or their agents to assist clergymen to distrain for the recovery of extraordinary tithe; and, if not, whether the Commissioners will instruct their agents not to interfere in such matters in future? SIR JOHN R. MOWBRAY, in reply, said, Mr. Stevens was not an agent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and that it was no part of the duty of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners or their agents to assist clergymen to distrain for extraordinary tithes; and they were Mr. W. E. Gladstone months? THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY): I have seen the chaplain's letter referred to in the Question, and have been furnished with a Report from the General Prisons Board, from which it appears that the mechanical restraint of a chain is adopted in the case of certain refractory convicts, and it is used in England as well as in Ireland. It is regarded as of a more humane character than the alternative of separate confinement, as it permits of dangerous prisoners taking exercise and being employed in public work. It is never applied until after medical examination; and prisoners wearing it are put under periodical report with a view to its removal as soon as safety permits. The Medical Officer of Mountjoy Prison states that "In no case has he or would he certify a prisoner to be fit for such restraint if he were weak in body or mind." If the hon. Member will kindly look at Appendix 31 of the Board's Annual Report he will see that particulars are pub. lished of all cases in which convict prisoners have been placed under this or other restraints. I should add that the heaviest chain applied is stated to weigh only 4 lbs., while a lighter one is generally used; and that, at the present moment, out of 698 male convicts in Mountjoy Prison, only three are wearing chains. MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR said, he would ask the right hon. Gentleman to |