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    English Ambassador , and that this had given rise to the two different statements . But he regretted that Losrt Grey had brought forward the question at this moment .

    NAVAL EST-IHATES . In the House op Comieous , on the motion for going into Committee of Supply on the naval estimates , Sir Henry Willoughby complained that there had been a considerable expenditure in excess of the estimates voted last year—a most dangerous principle , since it places in the hands of Government a power of expenditure uncontrolled by the House . —Mr . W " illtam Williavs , in criticising some of the items in the estimates ( though with no view to crippling the resources of the country , should a vigorous prosecution of the war be necessary ) , said that in the number of men there was an increases of six thousand over the vote of last year , and suggested a deferring of this part of the vote , pending the negotiations .

    was also a creation for life only . Mr . Sharpe was reading the latter patent when he was interrupted by Lord EllenBorough , who requested him to read clearly and slowly , as the House could not follow the old law Latin when read rapidly . An irregular conversation then ensued , the Lord Chancellor contending that it was not usual to read such documents at length ; all that was necessary was to give them in . Some discussion also took place on the right of Lord Wensleydale to present himself and demand admission to his seat in the House ; Lord Campbell giving notice that , if he did so before the Committee of Privileges came to its decision , he would move that

    > eing blunders , amendments upon , amendments , delay , confusion , and inconsistency . A minister charged especially -with the care of such matters would prevent all these mistakes and shortcomings . There are Boards of Trade , of Health , Works / o War : why should not Justice have a Department and a Minister ?—The motion was seconded by Mr . Colmeb , and supported by Mr . Locke Kino , and Mr . WiaRAsr , Mr . Dbtjmmond , Mr . Ewart , and Mr . Wilkinson . Mr . Bainks , while admitting the importance of the subject , said that the Statute Law Commissioners had prepai-ed a plan for appointing an officer to watch over the current legislation of both Houses ; and he therefore submitted to the House whether it would not be better to wait and see this plan , instead of pledging itself to an indefinite motion . Recommendations to the same effect were made by Lord John

    Russell ( who spoke in high terms of the proposal for a Minister of Justice made by Mr . Napier ) , by Sir George Grey , Mr . Craofurd , Mr . Malins , Mr . RotrNDELL Palmer , and Lord PaIiMEKston , the last of whom ob served that the difficulties in the way of a Minister of Justice would be almost insuperable . No doubt , he said , errors do creep into Acts of Parliament ; but he doubted if the presence of a Minister of Justice would prevent them , for , in the « ase of independent members , it would be stotitly insisted on that any phraseology objected to by the Minister must be retained ; and to give the Minister despotic power , would be inconsistent with a free , deliberative assembly . The errors , complained of often arose from the resistance to measures—a resistance arising from a great variety of opinions .

    On the suggestion of Sir George Grey , Mr . Napier consented to strike out that part of his motion which pledged the House to the establishment of a new department in the State . The motion thus amended " \ vas agreed to .

    CARDIGAN BAY . Mr . Lloyd Davis moved for a " select committee to inquire into the advisability of constructing a harbour of refuge and defence in Cardigan Bay ; and ¦ whether it may not be advantageoiis also to employ convict labour in the said works . " A great loss of life and property occurred annually from the want of a harbour of" refuge in Cardigan Bay . As a means of defence against an invading foe , Cardigan Bay was peculiarly adapted ; and convict labour could be

    profitably employed in the construction of the works . —Sir Charles Wood did not think that a sufficient case had been made out in support of the motion . It -was true that a descent was made on the Welsh coast , some fifty or sixty years ago ; but he believed , such was the bravery of the inhabitants , that the invaders were put to flight by a bevy of Welsh women , in red petticoats . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Nautical opinion was unfavourable to the eligibility of the bay for the purpose of a harbour of refuge . —After a short discussion , the motion was negatived by 118 to 44 .

    contractors' disqualification removal . Mr . Thomas Mitchell asked leave to bring'in . a bill to repeal the Act 22 George III ., disqualifying contractors from being elected to , or sitting and voting as members in , the House of Cominons . The Chancellor of the Exchequer , in assenting to the motion , reserved his own office , as having to xio with contracts over which the Government has complete control . —The Solicitor-General characterised the bill as of dangerous tendency . A division was called for , and leave was given by 46 against 43 . Wednesday , February \§ th . The House op Lords did not sit . In the House op Commons , the Marquis of Blandford niovod for leave to introduce his bill of last session for THE tfOltMATION AND ENDOWMENT OP DISTINCT

    TAIUSHES . He observed that the original intention in forming parishes was to create a bond of brotherhood . It must be admitted that great benefit to the country had accrued from the parochial system j but dofects had arisen which required a romoily . Undor the prosent systom thoro exist tho pariah churches , district chapelries , consolidated olinpelrics , and particular district churches , which oroafco tho greatest oonfusion . Tho incumbent of a district church is not allowed to porforin Bomo of tho church services in the district church . Tho panahionora aro obliged to repair to the . parish church to havo tho ooromony of bupfcism , for instance , norformod , and ou woine occasions tho moans

    of tho parish church aro inadequate ) to moot the demands niaclo upon thoin . TIuh is particularly tho ease in Manchester and St . Panama . So anomalous a distinction loads ul » o to tho payment of doufelo foofl , which ifl anothor aourco of confusion . Tho House wuh ¦ well aware of tho riilUuultios of tho church-rate question . His bill contained a provision on that subjoot . The minister of tho district church is now oallod tho purpotual ournto . Ho proposed that lie should l » o heuooforth oallod tho vicar . Tho bill provided that , ou tho application of tho incumbent , tho churohwimlona , and two-thirds of the inhabitants , tho Eoole « iaatioal Oomiaiasioaera should be empowered by order in Council to convert thoso ohapolriua into aoparato and independent puriahos . It further pio .

    the new Lord be refused admission ; and the Lord Chancellor arguing that the royal writ of summons is the legal authority , and that Lord Wensleydale is bound to obey . Finally , it was agreed that the reading of the old law documents should not be gone on with ; and Lord Brougham and Lord Campbell undei-took to assist Lord Lyndhurst in the selection of documentary evidence . A list of patents in several reigns and of rolls of Parliament to be so examined was then put in and read , and Lord Ltndhurst proposed that the committee should adjourn till Monday . This was assented to , after some further discussion with reference to matters of form .

    On the House resuming , Lord Campbell moved that notice be given to Sir James Parke that he might attend and be heard before the Committee ^ either by Mmself or his counsel , if he thought proper to do so . It being objected , however , that such an order must be addressed , not to Sir James Parke ., but to Lord Wensleydale , and that he could not , according to precedent , be called on to appear in person , Lord Campbeli , withdrew his motion , but gave notice that he should renew it on another day in a modified form . The House then , adjourned during pleasure , but met again at five o ' clock . No business of importance , however , was transacted .

    SARDINIA A . KD THE CONSTANTINOPLE CONFERENCES . In the House op Commons Mr . La yard inquired whether it was true that the representative of the Sardinian Government had been excluded from the conferences at Constantinople , and , if so , on what aecount . — Lord Pjilmerston replied that the conferences related ., not to matters connected with the treaty of peace , but to arrangements for the settlement of the question as to the rights and privileges of the non-Mussulman subjects of the Porte .

    SCOTTISH MUNICIPAL REFORM . Mr . Ewart obtained leave to bring in a bill to extend the provisions of the Scottish Municipal Reform Act to nine royal burghs in Scotland , now excluded from the benefits of that act .

    ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM AND PUBLIC JUSTICE . Mr . Napier moved " That in the opinion of this House , as a measure of Administrative Reform , provision should be made for an efficient and responsible department of public justice , with a view to secure the skilf ul ^ preparation and proper structure of parliamentary bills , and promote the progressive amendment of the laws of the United Kingdom . " The laws of the British Empire are in a condition perfectly disgraceful to a civilised country ; there being , besides a vast mass of common law and customs scattered over a great number of volumes , three different systems of laws , one for England , one for Scotland , and one for Ireland . The number of public statutes applying- to

    England and Ireland , exclusive of local and private acts , is 18 , 28 d . This is in addition to the common law , which is common to both countries . There are thirty-four volumes of English and nineteen volumes of Irish acts . Before the Union , there were 2 , 268 public statutes peculiar to Ireland , and 1 , 300 have been added since . The system of double legislation which prevails creates tho greatest inconvenience , and intiiota great evils upon Booioty . Lord Bacon remarked on tho accumulation of the statutes in his own timo , though tho number was then only 2 , 172 . Mr . Napier produced a book which allowed that

    m the reign of her present Majesty more public statutes hud been passed than existed down to the reign of IDlizaboth . Wonio of the statutes whioh remained unropoaled were absurd and ludicrous in tho extreme For example , ouo statute imposed a penalty on Irish prelates tor bringing any Irishman to Parliament ; anothor imposed a ponalty for carrying coals to NewoaflMo . ( Lfiityhtcr . ) Anothor prohibited any Irishman from coming to England without n . testimonial from the Lord-Lieutonant ; anothor forbad any person keeping more than 2 , 000 whoop ; another hiul reference to abstinence from flush in Lont . These woro

    mero samples of the mass of obsolete atatutew , The statute law oomaiimsion gave a list of 10 , 047 utatutiw whioh wore either repealed or obsolete . Tho laws oi tho United Stiites had been digostod into three octavo volumes ; and , an long ago a& tho roign of James T ., Lord Buuoii proposed to codify tints lawn of England . But tho work hud yet to bo clone , though iu 18 i ; i Lord Brougham , and in 1858 tho prosout Lord Chancellor , made propotittlB for tho oiibofcing of ho deuimblo « , reform . With roHpoot to tho other bruucli of his subject , Mr . Najpiov alluded to tho too great roudinoHH with which biHn are introduced , tho reBults

    The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply , when Sir Charles Wood ( after a passing allusion to various improvements lately effected in the official arrangements of the Admiralty ) stated that the estimates ^ had been framed on the calculation of a continuation of the war ; hut only a part of each vote would then be asked for . For the active force of the navy it was intended to ask a vote of 66 , 000 seamen and marines , being 6 , 000 more than , last year , and 10 , 000 boys . The estimate for the wages of this force was £ 3 , 237 , 8 ^ 3 , showing an increase of £ 352 , 356 beyond the amount granted last year ; "but of this gross total he should x-equire a present vote of only £ 2 , 000 , 000 . The grand toial for the naval service

    reaches £ 12 , 148 , 641 , showing a net augmentation over the previous estimate of £ -291 , 135 , besides a vote of £ 204 , 000 for the excess of expenditure incurred beyond the grants of the bygone session . The amount of work performed by the Transport Service has been immense . Not to speak of the vast quantities of materiel and provision , 294 , 000 men had been embarked and conveyed to andlfrom the Crimea . Among other additions to the navy ,, 152 new gun and mortar boats were in course of preparation , augmenting to a total of 200 the number of that species of vessels

    , which would be ready for service in the Baltic should the campaign reopen . Altogether , should war continue , they would , be fully prepared to despatch 350 pennants to the Baltic and 100 to the Black Sea . It would thus be seen that measures had been taken for carrying on the war with the enemy , whoever he might be , with every human means of success . Replying to the observations of Siv JT ^ -nwy wuiwugltbj-, Sir Charles pxpltuiaed , as the cause of the excess , that it is not easy to measure the amount so closely as to avoid any surplus .

    After some reuiarks from Admiral Walcott , Sir Henry WiLLOUGaBY , Captain Scobell , and Admiral Berkeley , Sir Charles Napier congratulated the country on the statement of the First Lord of the Admiralty , and enlarged oa the necessity for naval reform , the nava . 1 business of the country being conducted iu a state of the greatest confusion , one part at Whitehall , and the other at Somerset House . The present board had introduced some very good changes in details ; but , with a better system , three Lords of the Admiralty might be spared , and the whole

    business be more efficiently conducted by the First Lord and two others . —Sir . Francis Baring advised the Houao not to return to the former system of having a long list of A chnirals , ma . ny of them , from old age and long staying- on shore , unable to perfo rni their duties afloat . —Lord Hotua . m expressed his satisfaction at tho osdurauoos given that employment and promotion in tho dockyards would take placo without reference to political considerations ; and Mr . Bentinck adverted to tlie anomaly of having a civilian at tho huad of tho Admiralty .

    Tho vote of £ -204 , 982 was agreed to . A vote of 76 , 000 men fur a limited period , and votes on account of £ 2 . 000 , 000 for their wages , and £ 1 , 000 , 000 for their food , woro likewise agroed to . Tho remaining votoH underwent somo discussiou , but passed without amendment ; and the resolutions were ordered to be reported . Tiik Housk ov Commons Owioes Bill was read a third time and passed .

    Tuesday , February l % ( 7 t . Tho Housr OB- Lords , on tho motion of tho Loud CHA . NaiQi , L , o » , roaolvod itself into a Committee of Privilogo on tho patent of Tina WICNSLKYDALE PlSKItAOK . After a httlo preliminary dinouasion , Mv . H . 0 . Shai' |> o , AHfliMfcinb Keeper of tho Rolls , proclucocl tiiu origami patonts of creation of two peerages iu the rohm of Buihtuul 11 . —a-uiaoarcl D'Auglo , oroatod Karl of Huntingdon ; mid Do Ve . ro , Earl of Oxford , oi-eatoil Marquis , and tliun Duko , of Dublin . Ho gavo in a li « b of aoveral other * , which have been printed In thoaorioa of national records containing the patents of peornpo 1 he patent of tho Earl of Huntingdon ww almwt Illegible from ivjjo and discoloration , aud the wituoeo vend tho oontoutu of tho parchment roll from tho printed volume of tho records . Tho creation of this Acer wtva for life . The no-tont of the Earl of Oxford

    Untitled Article

    February 16 , 1856 , ] THE LEADER . 147

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 16, 1856, page 147, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2128/page/3/