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Leader (1850-1860), 30th July 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 880, Untitled Article

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      IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . Monday , July 25 . . LORD LYNDJITZRST AKD THE NATIONAL DEFENCES . Ik the House of Lords Lord Ltndhtirst repelled the charges which had been made against him by Mr . Bright , in reference to the remarks he had made oh the national defences . As to the charge of age , and of being an old peer , he pleaded guilty , and at the same time he duly acknowledged _ the power of the sarcasm , so pointed , so keen , so titter , and so creditable to the taste and talents of the hon . member who had made so extraordinary a discovery . As to the charge of making remarks calculated to

      wound the susceptibility of a neighbouring nation , nothing was further from his intention , which was only' to arouse this country to the necessity of putting its defences in an efficient state . My lords , said the veteran statesman , it is very well for Englishmen in private life , when they are smitten upon one cheek , to turn the other cheek to the smiter . But that is not my feeling , and least pi all ought it to be the feeling of a great and powerful nation . I might cite a passage from an Athenian oratorwhich I think somewhat in point . He says , in substance : " Nations build large fortresses , and lay out great sums of money for that purpose , but there is will

      one common bulwark which every prudent man take care to maintain . It is the great security of all nations , particularly of free States , against foreign despotic power . " He goes on to ask , " What is this ? " The answer he gives is , " Distrust , distrust . Be mindful of that , adhere to it , and you will be free froni almost every calamity . " The question I have to put to the noble duke is this—I am sure the noble duke will not think it requires any previous notice- ^ whether he is aware that the French are arming their fleet on the other side of the Channel with rifled cannon ? I pat this question because , from the reports Fhave heard , it would appear that

      the rifled cannon we are preparing will not extend to above 10 O in the present year and 200 in the following year , whereas it is . said the French rifle cannon are manufactured with such rapidity that they will be able to arm their fleet in that mode long "before we can make use , to any extent , of the rifled cannon of Sir W . Armstrong . —The Duke of Somerset had heard that the Trench fleet was being pro ^ vided with rifled cannon , and admitted that the rifled cannon for the armament of our fleet would not be ready for sorne time . He did not think it expedient the present time to enter into a discussion of what was being done in our arsenals and dockyards .

      NATIONAL EDUCATION . Lord Brot / gham , in calling . the attention of the House to the state of national education , gave a sketch of the progress made in this important subject during the last forty years . He would prefer education even under the Pope of Rome to no education at all . He urged the necessity of providing well-educated school mistresses , as the well-being of so large a class of the female population depended upon them . He concluded by proposing that the Committee of the Privy Council should inspect the

      middle-class schools throughput the country . ^—The Bishop of Lincoln thought the plan of inspecting middle-class schools would be productive of much advantage . —Lord Granvillb was very unwilling , considering the enormous amount of work already imposed on the Committee of the Privy Council , to place upon them the additional labour of inspecting middle-class schools . Their lordships adjourned at half-past six . The House of Commons went into a Committee of Supply upon the Civil Service Estimates and Civil Contingencies , which were discussed during thp morning sitting , DEFENCE OF THE COLONIES , In the evening on the motion for going into committee of supply , Mr . Addiorley called attention to the military defences of the colonies , and to the source whence those defences are supplied . The hon . member contended that the colonies did not provide their fair proportion of the expense , either in men or money , required for their defence Almost every dependency relied almost exclusively upon the mother country . The consequence was . that the colonists on the average paid barely a tithe of their own military outlay , although they wore taxed in less than one-fiftieth part of the amount imposed upon the homo community . It was , he insisted , most necessary to remodel the system for the sake both of England and the colonies themselves , by enabling ana instructing them how to furnish defensive armaments sufficient for their own protection . —Lord A . Cmmomu , concurred w » th Mr . Addorloy that the colonies might come , forward and provide a local militia for their own defiencp .

      DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRV . Sir De Lacy Evans moved a resolution : — " That , taking into consideration the relations existing between some of the great military Powers of , the Continent , it is advisable that a commission be appointed , consisting- of civilians and military and naval officers , to inquire into and collect information concerning the present position of our national defences ; to ascertain what improvements may be made therein , in order to insure the utmost efficiency combined with economy , and to report thereon to her Majesty ' s Government . Mr . H . D . Seymour called attention to the undefended state of the coast between Weymouth and the Needles . Mr . S . Herbert in reply to Mr . Adderley , after remarking that nothing could be more unreasonable and capricious than the proportions of their military expenditure paid by different colonies , drew distinctions between garrison colonies , maintained for military reasons and for imperial purposes , and the greater dependencies , inhabited by a numerous and self-supporting community ; as also between the military forces employed in police duties and those required for external defence . Stating in detail the various sums raised in different colonies for military purposes ; , and comparing them with the proportions contributed by the English Exchequer , lie expressed his concurrence in the opinion that the mother country bore an unfair proportion of the burthen . A committee , composed of three gentlemen of great experience , were , however , already investigating the subject , though lie did not venture to anticipate any very early solution of the difficulty . In reply to Sir De Lacy Evans , Mr . Herbert also stated that a commission was some time since nominated to inquire into the condition and management of the ports , arsenals , and other establishments connected with the provision for national defences . —Mr .- Halibttrtoh ; , reverting to the colonial question ,-remarked that Canada had more than once , by her homeraised militia , repulsed foreign , invasion , and put down domestic rebellion . The certainty that England would , in time of need , interfere for their aid , furnished a moral support which kept the Canadian population free from hostile assault . If the mother country withdrew her troops , she should give the colonists their independence . Canada was quite capable of its own defence ; but if you withdraw your troops and your fleet , lie said , let us have due notice , and give us our independence . — Mr , Hoksiun expressed his satisfaction at the assent of the Government to the appointment of a Commission , and suggested , respecting the commission of inquiry into the ports and arsenals , that the official element should not be allowed to predominate in its composition . Viewing the admitted impossibility of securing our coasts against invasion , he also recommended that the commissioners should include in their investigation an inquiry into the state of the internal defences of the country . —Lord Ei'CHo trusted that the investigation to be conducted by the commission would bo made as full and comprehensive as possible . — Lord Paljmerston said the question was of very great importance ; but he hoped Sir Do Lacy Evana would , be satisfied -with the statement made by Mr . S . Herbert , and not press his resolution , the adoption of which would put an end to supply that evening . He could not agree that the Commission should go into a wide range of inquiry , and examine , matters not proper for a Commission . The object of the Commission would be to inquire as to tho permanent works for dockyards and arsenals , which would not vary from year to year , whereas the number and composition of our military force and other matters varied according to the circumstances of the country , and for these the Government were responsible .- ^ - Mr . Ayrxon said the Commission which the Government proposed to grant would not in the least meet the object of Sir De Lacy Evans , Which was to inquire into the whole system and minimum means of our ordinary defence , naval and military , against any sudden aggression . —The motion of Sir t ) eXacy Evans was negatived . . BRITISH MUSETJN . Mr . WAr-rowE , in moving tho British Museum Estimates , made a brief statement of tho condition of that institution . — Mr . Gbegory repeated the remarks upon the system and management of tho museum which lie had made on tho occasion of his motion in the last Parliament , at the beginning of the year , and recommended ueroral subjects connected with the Institution to the consideration of the Government during tho recess . If the money voted for tho museum ( from 75 . 00 Q / . to 80 , 000 / . ) . he observed , be spent , it should bo spent creditably . He urged strongly , as upon the former occasion , tho expediency of separating the national history collection , and of making tho museum an institution , not merely of exhibition , but of instruction , by means of lectures ; and he cwnplalned that tho assistants

      were ill-paid and not well ; treated . —The vote was agreed to , after further debate . A variety of measures were advanced a stage , and the House adjourned at fifteen minutes past one . Tuesday , July 26 . SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION . In the House of Lords the Bishop of London-, after presenting several petitions on the subject , called attention to the spiritual destitution existing in several localities , and especially in the large commercial and manufacturing towns and districts in England and Wales . He complained of the inadequacy of the accommodation provided by the Ecclesiastical Commission in places where large funds were placed in their hands , and suggested that unnecessary difficulties were thrown in the way of obtaining sites for churches by the law of mortmain . He was aware that the officials of the Ecclesiastical Commission had a strong objection to any alteration in the present law , but he must confess that he thought that they would have no cause of complaint against the bill , which was , he believed , to be introduced . At the same time he could not pass over without praise the efforts made by private individuals to extend the blessings of the Gospel by building churches . —Lord Cm Chester and Lord EbUrt made a few remarks . —The Bishop of Oxford hoped that any bill which was passed would provide for the ex-. tension of local claims . There was no doubt that the places on which much of the property under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was situated would be able to provide a handsome surplus after they had looked to their own wants . He pressed this question on the House as one of the greatest importance , and urged the Government to bring in a bill this session oh the subject . —After a few words from Lord Redesoaie , Lo rd Granville said that the Government could not pledge themselves to introduce a bill on the subject at the present late period of the session . Their lordships adjourned at a quarter - past seven . CHURCH RATES ABOLITION . In the House of Commons , after a considerable amount of private business ^ Sir J . Trelawn y moved that the House do resolve itself into a committee upon the Church-rates Abolition Bill , —Mr . Newdegate moved , as an amendment , a resolution that the House resolve itself into a committee to consider the propriety of establishing in lieu of church-rates , thenceforth to be abolished , a charge on all hereditaments in respect of the occupancy of which churchrates have been paid within the last seven years , to be levied with the county-rate at an uniform rate of poundage , the occupier being in all cases entitled to deduct from his rent the amount of the charge levied on his occupation to be paid to the Governors of Queen Anne ' s Bounty , who shall bo empowered to administer the same for the purposes of church-rates . He did not propose , he said , to alter one word of the bill ; he accepted the decision of the House that church-rates shall be abolished , and he proposed this charge , at the rate of 2 d . in the pound , as a substitute that would satisfy conscientious scruples , and obviate the objections made to church-ratea . Where these rates had been abolished let the abolition , he said , be sanctioned ; but let not this limit be ex . ceeded , and the whole burden be cast upon the voluntary system , which was already deficient to a considerable extent . —Mr . Dodson opposed tho resolution . This tax , he contended , had always been voluntary , for the Church never had the power to say , " You shall ' make a church-rate ; " it had only tho power to enforce the repair of churches by a process at present obsolete and ineffectual , and the parishioners now made a rate only when they pleased . The resolution would substitute for a rato voluntarily made a fixed burden . Upon a division , the amendment was negatived by 191 to 99 . After another effort for delay , ur , gqd by Lord J . Manners , tUe House went into committee on tho bill , and was engaged in discussing an amendment to the first clause , moved by Mr . Cross , when at ten minutes to four the debate was adjourned . The Universities ( Scotland ) Bill was afterwards read a third time and passed , and the House at four o ' clock suspended business for two hours . Shortly after resuming , at six o ' clock , tho Houso was eountodowt . Wednesday , July 27 . In tho Hocsb of Commons the Railway , Company Arbitration Bill and the Imprisonment for Small Debts Bill passed through committee . HIGH SHUIUFFS' BILL . On the motion forgoing into committee on this bill , Mr . Wisb opposed the measure , and mo-ved , as an amendment , that tho committee should fro doferrod for three months , —Sir J . Shelley dofonded tho bill , which affected , ho said , only tho javolln-men , substituting the county police , and ho should bo glad to do away with a parcel of useless men , not always of tho soborost class . —Mr . Deedes said , the avowed

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      Untitled Article

      330 THE LEADER . [ No . 488 . July 30 , 1859 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 30, 1859, page 880, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2305/page/4/