Sydney, V. Mostyn, L. Ponsonby, L. (E. Bess borough.) Sundridge, L. (D.Argyll Blakesley was. He (Lord Lyttelton) | Stratford de Redcliffe, V. Lyveden, L. Moved to add the Names of Sir Roundell Palmer and the Reverend Joseph William Blakesley to the Commission to be appointed under the Act.-(The Lord Lyttelton.) case. THE LORD CHANCELLOR agreed with the noble Lord that Canon Blakesley had not been well treated, and that the Commission was injured by the absence of his name from it. No person in the kingdom could be better fitted to serve upon such a Commission; but, unfortunately, other things had to be considered in this It was much to be regretted that in the other House of Parliament the question of the name of one of the Commissioners had been made the subject of personal feeling, and if that discussion were reopened there would be considerable doubt as to the further progress of the Bill. This was the reason and the only reason why the Government was unable to accede to a proposal which in itself was very reasonable and even desirable. The interest taken by Mr. Blakesley in this subject and his feeling of self-respect would probably lead him to desire that no peril should arise to the Bill and that his name should not be the subject of personal controversy. On Question? Their Lordships divided: -Contents 29; Not-Contents 25: Majority 4. Resolved in the Affirmative. Amendment agreed to. NOT-CONTENTS. Cairns, L. (L. Chancel Bagot, L. Buckingham and Chan- Exeter, M. Brooke and Warwick, E. rose.) Hawarden, V. [Teller.] De Vesci, V. Churston, L. Clements, L. (E. Lei Colchester, L. Colville of Culross, L. Henniker.) Monson, L. L. (L. Saltersford, L. (E. Cour town.) Silchester, L.(E. Long- Fortescue, E. Graham, E. (D. Mont- Foley, L: rose.) Lordships will perhaps all agree that nothing should be done to prevent the Ebury, L. Gage, L. (V. Gage.) niker.) Hylton, L. Lyttelton, L. Leven and Melville, E. Hartismere, L. (L. Hen- shortening of the conflict in the day of Malmesbury, E. Stratford de Redcliffe, V. Houghton, L. Strathallan, V. Redesdale, L. battle, and the putting as many men as possible hors de combat; but we all feel that we ought to mitigate the horrors of war as much as we can, and that we Silchester, L. (E. Long- should not do anything to promote un ford.) necessary suffering after the hour of conSondes, L. flict. It is in that sense that I beg to Stewart of Garlies, L. put the Question of which I have given (E. Galloway.) Notice-to inquire, Whether the Circular of the Russian Government in relation to explosive materials in war has reached Her Majesty's Ministers; and, if so, whether they are disposed to take it into their favourable consideration? Clauses 17 to 26, inclusive, agreed to. Clauses 27, 28, and 29 agreed to. THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, in consequence of the time within which the Governing Bodies might amend their constitution having been extended from the 1st of January to the 1st of May next, proposed a verbal Amendment limiting the power of further extending the time by Order in Council to one month instead of three months. Amendment agreed to. Further Amendment made: The Report thereof to be received To-morrow; and Bill to be printed, as amended. (No. 285.) EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS IN WAR-THE RUSSIAN CIRCULAR.-QUESTION. THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY: Your Lordships must have seen a short time ago in The Times and other public journals a Circular issued by the Russian Government in relation to the use of explosive materials in war. It is not now the time to argue this question, but it is a matter of very great importance, as coming from so great a military power as the Russian Empire; and it is still more important from the fact that, as we are told, the Prussian Government have come to the same conclusion, and that the French Government are not unwilling to take this new principle into consideration. This is no new principle among civilized nations, which have always adopted the principle of not employing poisonous materials in war. The principle laid down by the Russian Government is, indeed, exactly the same which civilized Powers have acted upon for so many years. Your THE EARL OF MALMESBURY: It is have received from the Russian Governquite true that Her Majesty's Government ment a communication of the nature to more which my noble Friend alludes, and that communication, I think, does the greatest possible honour to the Emperor of Russia. As far as my own feelings are concerned, I hold that nothing can show a chivalrous nature than that communication from the head of a great military Power. The facts are as follows:-It appears that, among the many military inventions lately discovered, two very formidable projectiles have been submitted to the War Department at St. Petersburg. One consists of a rifle ball containing explosive and poisonous matter, with a cap fixed to it containing a substance which on striking the human body, and that of horses, explodes within them and infuses such a substance as prevents the possibility of their recovery after they have been so mangled. The other is also a projectile which is sent from a rifle, but is intended to perforate and blow up caissons. Now, the latter projectile is, I think, a perfectly fair and legitimate weapon of war; but the other I can only call a diabolical invention, and one which ought to be classed with the poisoned arrows of the wild Indians. That being the case, one can hardly wonder that a noble-minded Sovereign like the Emperor of Russia should have felt horrified at the possible use of such a weapon. It appears that on its being submitted to him by the Minister of War he instructed his diplomatic agents at the various Courts of Europe to propose to the different Governments that they should come to an international understanding that this horrible weapon of war should not be used. Baron Brunnow accordingly drew up a Protocol, which he submitted to Her Majesty's Government, suggesting the form in which these communications should be made. In consequence of this the Prussian Government, I understand, have fully entered into the humane feelings of the Russian Government; but they submitted at the same time that, seeing the vast number of inventions now under the inspection of military Governments, it would be better not to confine the investigation to this one invention, but that a Military Commission should meet at St. Petersburg to consider the whole subject in the spirit which had animated the Russian Government. Her Majesty's Government have entered entirely into the feeling of the Prussian Government. Nothing has actually been settled as yet; but a Military Commission will assemble as soon as possible at St. Petersburg to consider the whole subject. I cannot give any information as to the views of the French Government; but I confidently hope that they will accede to this arrangement. At the same time, we must not take it for granted that these new military inventions and improvements in military projectiles necessarily occasion a greater destruction of life than formerly occurred. The fact is a curious one; but experience would go to show that since arms of precision and projectiles of long distance have been invented the actual number of lives destroyed in warfare has been far less than it was when men used to come to closer quarters. A French officer has put into my hands a statement from which it appears that during the great wars of the beginning of this century there was much larger destruction of human life than there has been since arms of precision and projectiles of long distances have been used. At the battle of Friedland the French lost 14 men per cent, the Russians 30 per cent, and the Austrians 44, or nearly half. At Wagram the French lost 13 and the Austrians 14 per cent. At the battle of Moscowa the French lost 33 and the Russians 44 per cent. At Waterloo the French lost 36 and the Allies 30 per cent. Forty years afterwards, and since these new weapons have been used, the French lost at Magenta 7 per cent and the Austrians also 7 per cent. At Solferino the French and Sardinians lost 10 per cent and the Austrians only 8 per cent. I do not pretend to explain these facts, but it may be presumed that troops do not come to such close quarters as formerly; and the result is that the percentage of men destroyed in war at the beginning of the century was very nearly double what it has been in recent engagements. EARL DE GREY AND RIPON said, that all must agree that it was the duty of all civilized nations to abstain from using weapons of a poisonous nature. He trusted, however, that any officers who might be instructed by Her Majesty's Government to represent this country at this Military Congress at St. Petersburg would act with great caution, so as to avoid the possible danger of checking further improvements in warlike materials. Our mechanical skill was one of our great sources of power in the art of war, and it was most important that, while we paid regard to the interests of humanity, we should not debar ourselves by this Commission from the full and unfettered application of the mechanical skill of the country to the improvement of its warlike materials. THE CANNING STATUE.-QUESTION. LORD CAMPBELL asked the Lord Privy Seal the date of the Division in the House of Commons which, as stated by the noble Earl on a recent occasion, sanctioned the present site of Mr. Canning's statue? THE EARL OF MALMESBURY explained that the gentleman whom he sent to the Board of Works for the purpose of ascertaining the facts misunderstood the information he received, and consequently misled him. Although, however, there was no division on the occasion referred to, that did not affect the main question, for the discussion in the House of Commons was as favourable to the present position of the statue as that in this House was unfavourable. Lord John Manners subsequently proposed a Vote of £1,000 for the arrangement of the ground, thus giving the other House a full opportunity of giving its opinion had it been opposed to the present site. He might also mention that a background was necessary; the cloak and disposition of the drapery showed that the back of the statue was never intended for inspection, and when placed in the middle of the square the view from one direction was therefore very unfavourable. House adjourned at half past Seven o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter before Five o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Thursday, July 23, 1868. * Considered as amended-Election Petitions and INDIA-SALE OF GIRLS. QUESTION. MR. BAZLEY said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, WheMINUTES.]-PUBLIC BILLS-Second Reading-ther sales of girls take place at the Bazaar District Church Tithes Act Amendment [246], of Manickguage, situate within the BurdCorrupt Practices at Elections [243]; Hud-wan Zillah; and, in the event of such being son's Bay Company* [240]. the fact, whether the Indian Government Third Reading Electric Telegraphs [239]; will repress those sales, and prevent all Hudson's Bay Company* [240]; Saint Mary tendencies to slavery in the Indian Empire? Somerset's Church, London, [247], and passed. The House met at Two of the clock. METROPOLIS-THE NEW COURTS OF JUSTICE.-QUESTION. MR. ALDERMAN LAWRENCE said, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Under whose authority and responsibility the New Law Courts will be erected and the approaches to them formed, whether of the Treasury, or of the Commissioners of Works and Buildings, or of the New Courts of Justice Commission; from what funds is the whole expense of these Courts and approaches to be paid; and whether, before any contracts are made for executing any portion of the works, the House of Commons will have an opportunity of inspecting the plans, elevations, and description of the building, and the plans of proposed approaches? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, in reply, if the hon. Alderman would refer to the Act which regulated these matters he would find that the plans were to be settled by the Treasury with the advice of the Commissioners. With regard to the funds, the Act provided that £200,000 should be voted by Parliament in consideration of certain buildings now occupied as Law Courts on the western side of Westminster Hall to be surrendered to the Government; that £1,000,000 should be paid out of the Surplus Fee Fund, and the remainder was to come out of the fees paid by suitors other than those in the Court of Chancery, extending over a period of fifty years. With regard to the contracts he was unable to answer that part of the Question, for this very day there was a meeting of Commissioners to consider the question of the final plan; and therefore whether it would be possible to decide on the general plan before the meeting of Parliament he was unable to say. VOL. CXCIII. [THIRD SERIES.] SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, in reply, said, he could not find that any information has been received at the India Office to the effect that sales of girls take place at the Bazaar of Manickguage, in the Burdwan Zillah. NAVY-REPORTS ON TURRET-SHIPS. QUESTION. MR. SEELY said, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, with reference to the extracts which he read on the 2nd and 13th instant, If he will lay upon the Table of the House Copies in full of the Reports and Letters of Captain Macdonald, Captain Vansittart, Admiral Ryder, and one of the Officers of the Ocean, Captain Chamberlain, of Admiral Warden, Admiral Yelverton, Captain Foley, Captain Hood, Captain King Hall, and Captain Willes, relating to Turret and Broadside-ships, with the Letters, if any, proceeding from any officer in the Admiralty to which any of those Reports and Letters were replies? LORD HENRY LENNOX said, in re ply, that he could only say that the Reports to which the hon. Gentleman alluded had been addressed to his right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty, with whom he had communicated as soon as he became aware that the Question would be put, but as yet he had received no answer. He must, therefore, request the hon. Gentleman to repeat the Question to morrow. BRITISH FACTORY AT ST. PETERS BURG.-QUESTION. MR. CLAY said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Is the British Factory at St. Petersburg recognized by Her Majesty's Ambassador or Her Majesty's Consul there; and, does Her Majesty's Government authorize the levying of a rate on British shipping at Cronstadt and St. Petersburg for the support of a Church which is only recog 3 H nized by the Russian Government as a ther it be true that the manufacture of the Chapel attached to the British Embassy? Cartridge known as No. V. has been susLORD STANLEY, in reply, said, the pended (in the Government arsenals) by Russian Company was an association cre- desire of the Commander-in-Chief on acated under a Royal Charter and an Act of count of the accidents that have arisen by Parliament, and it must therefore be re- its use; whether the non-competitive cognized by the British Embassy and the Contract made with the Messrs. Eley for British Consul in the same way that any the supply of these same Cartridges No. other mercantile association constituted V. has also been suspended; whether under British law would be. With regard these Cartridges were the result of experito the charge in question, the rate levied ments made in the Royal Arsenal; wheat Cronstadt and St. Petersburg for the ther Colonel Boxer, R.A., has taken out a support of the Church there, it was mat-patent for them; and whether he receives ter, he understood, of private agreement a royalty on his patent from those who maamong the British mercantile houses en-nufacture them; and, whether a Contract gaged in the Russian trade, and, as far as for the manufacture of Cartridges, to be he could ascertain, was not raised under called No. VI. Boxer Ammunition, is to any British authorization. The British be made without competition, in the same Embassy had no control over the collection manner as that for No. V. was made. ? or distribution of the funds. The whole matter had been inquired into about five years ago. He had received no information, however, on the subject since he took charge of the Foreign Office. NAVY-SHEERNESS DOCKYARD. QUESTION. SIR JOHN PAKINGTON said, in reply to the first Question of the hon. Member he had to state that the contract had been suspended, on account of the accidents which had lately occurred during practice at Aldershot, with a view to the substitution of a cartridge of a stronger make. With regard to the second Question, the contract had not been suspended, mistaken in calling it non-competitive, and his hon. and gallant Friend was because the parties had been invited to tender. In answer to the third Question, these cartridges were the result of such experiments, and Colonel Boxer had taken and, whether the Government will take into their consideration the propriety of ex- intention was entertained by the Governout a patent for them. Lastly, no such tending the capabilities of Sheerness Dock-ment as was glanced at in the fourth Quesyard as a fitting and repairing yard in tion, and the usual course would be pur MR. KNATCHBULL - HUGESSEN said, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Government will give an assurance that they will take no steps during the Recess to reduce the establishment at Sheerness Dockyard; sued. ARMY-ARTILLERY PRACTICE AT PORTSMOUTH.-QUESTION. connection with the new works at Chatham? LORD HENRY LENNOX said, in reply, that the Question of his hon. Friend appeared to be based on the supposition that the Government had formed the idea of abolishing Sheerness Dockyard; but no such idea, so far as he was aware, was entertained. With regard to the second Question he need scarcely point out to his hon. Friend that the Admiralty could not expend during the coming year more money had been voted, and no sum had been taken for the purpose stated. He might add, for the satisfaction of his hon. Friend, that SIR JOHN PAKINGTON said, in Sheerness Dockyard had done good service reply, that full inquiries had been made in during the year, both in the way of re-regard to the artillery practice at Portspairing and building ships. ARMY-MANUFACTURE OF CAR than TRIDGES.-QUESTION. GENERAL DUNNE said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whe MR. SERJEANT GASELEE said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has informed himself as to the reckless Artillery practice at Portsmouth and Dover; and, if so, what measures he has taken to prevent a course so dangerous to the safety of Her Majesty's subjects? mouth, when it was found that the officer in command had acted in complete disregard of the strict rule laid down by the Commander-in-Chief in 1865 — that no artillery practice of the kind should ever be continued after nine o'clock in the |