Arbitration as regards the remuneration | paid by fees, often very large, which of the eminent counsel other than the Law Officers of the Crown? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL said, by desire of his right hon. Friend at the head of the Government, he would answer the Questions of the hon. Member so far as he could, and for the sake of convenience he would take the first and third together. On the resignation of the office of Queen's Advocate by Sir Travers Twiss the other day, it was felt that in consequence of the changes which had occurred the office should not be continued. Formerly, Law Officers of the Crown could not practise in the Courts in which the Queen's Advocate practised, and therefore it was necessary to have an officer particularly attached to these Courts to represent the Crown. But the Law Officers of the Crown being now able under Act of Parliament to practise in those Courts, and the College of Advocates being destroyed, there seemed to be no use in keeping up a merely nominal office, which necessitated the payment of large fees in certain cases. Therefore, it was determined that the office should be abolished. But certain functions had been discharged by the Queen's Advocate in regard to business at the Foreign Office which was not of sufficient importance to be submitted to the Attorney and Solicitor General; and it was necessary that the Foreign Office should still have advice in these matters, to be given under the responsibility of the Law Officers. It was, therefore, considered requisite that as in the Courts of Common Law and Chancery, and in Charity cases, there was a counsel appointed by the Attorney General to assist him in such matters, so in like manner a counsel should be appointed to assist the Attorney General in these matters. The Foreign Office desired that such counsel should not be a mere counsel to that office, but an independent person practising at the Bar, and he had accordingly appointed Dr. Deane, at a salary of £2,000, as assistant to the Attorney General in regard to the business connected with the Foreign Office, and with the Colonial Office when the matter, as sometimes happened, related to both Departments, and also in all ecclesiastical matters. It was difficult to say what amount of salary was saved by the abolition of the office, because the Queen's Advocate had been could not easily be reduced to an average. These fees would be entirely saved, although the £2,000 would have to be set against them. He believed the remuneration of the Queen's Advocate had averaged £5,000 or £6,000 a-year. The new appointment would be permanent so far as the Government were concerned; but there were certain offices, such as that of Queen's Proctor and others, which being held for life could not be dealt with at presnt. As to the legal expenses of the Geneva Arbitration, he had made inquiries, but was unable to give any information on the subject, as much must depend upon the time occupied, the amount of service performed, and a variety of other circumstances. He wished to state, however, that the Law Officers of the Crown received no remuneration, directly or indirectly, in connection with the proceedings at Geneva. POST OFFICE-TELEGRAPH SYSTEM. QUESTIONS. MR. GRAVES asked the Postmaster General, When the Report of Mr. Scudamore on the development of the Telegraph system, and on the Establishment generally, which was reviewed in the "Times," the " Daily News," and "Echo" newspapers of last week, will be presented to the House? MR. MONSELL said, the Report alluded to was, in fact, a letter addressed to himself, and it contained personal remarks on different individuals in the Office, and certain other statements which Her Majesty's Government thought it would not be right to publish at present. He regretted that the document had been reviewed in The Times and other newspapers, and should endeavour to find out who had communicated it to them. MR. SYNAN asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the new classification of the Telegraph Clerks has been sanctioned by the Treasury; when it will be issued, and from what date it shall take effect; and, whether a Vote shall be taken before Parliament rises for the increased salaries under such classification? MR. BAXTER: Sir, the new classification for the great body of the telegraph clerks has been settled by the Treasury, and is about to be officially communi cated to the Post Office. The increased salaries take effect from various dates, dependent on the time when the new duties were undertaken, and a Vote will be taken with regard to them before Parliament rises. INLAND REVENUE-HORSES EMPLOYED "The pressing demand for Imperial Coin rendered it impossible for the Mint to undertake a further Canadian Coinage during the autumn; but, with their Lordships' approval, the agent of the Canadian Government in this Country was able to make arrangements for its execution by Messrs. Heaton and Son, of Birmingham, under the supervision of this Department;" whether he is not misinformed when, on the 11th of April, he repeated to this COLONEL AMCOTTS asked Mr. Chan-House his assurance that the recent cellor of the Exchequer, If he would state to the House whether Farmers are allowed to lend their Teams without being surcharged for them? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, that a farmer who had horses which were employed solely for purposes of husbandry, and who lent them to another person to be employed for the same purposes, was not liable to be surcharged. Silver Coinage for Canada was executed without the knowledge or authority of the Home Government; and, whether he will place upon the Table of the House Copies of all Correspondence between the authorities of the Mint and any public Company or private person on the subject of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coinage during the two years ending on the 1st day of July, 1872? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, he should have had great HONDURAS-TREATY OF COMMERCE. pleasure in answering the fourth Ques QUESTION. now state to the House. The hon. and gallant Gentleman asked him tion which the hon. and gallant Gentleman had put to him in the present SesLORD GEORGE HAMILTON asked sion on this important subject; but he the Under Secretary of State for Foreign found it impossible to do so in conseAffairs, Whether the "Treaty of Friend-quence of a difficulty which he would ship, Commerce, and Navigation," between Her Majesty and the Republic of Honduras, signed at London, 27th August, 1856, in which Her Majesty "guarantees positively and efficaciously the entire neutrality" of the Interoceanic Route, and engages in conjunction with the Republic of Honduras, when the road is completed "To protect the same from interruption, seizure, or unjust confiscation from whatsoever quarter the attempt may proceed," is now still binding upon the High Contracting Powers? VISCOUNT ENFIELD: Sir, the Treaty referred to by my noble Friend is no doubt still binding upon the High Contracting Powers; but it is held that the guarantee, according to the 2nd clause of the additional Article, does not take effect until the completion of the railroad from sea to sea. THE ROYAL MINT-THE COINAGE. COLONEL TOMLINE asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether his attention has been called to the following passage in the Second Report of Mr. Fremantle, the Deputy Master of the Mint : "Whether he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) was not misinformed when, on the 11th of April, he repeated to this House his assurance that the recent Silver Coinage for Canada was executed without the knowledge or authority of the Home Government?" On consulting Hansard, he found what he said was that— "The recent silver coinage for Canada was executed with the knowledge and without the authority of the Home Government.” Of course, as he never made the statement alluded to in the Question, he could not admit he was misinformed at the time he made it. If he complied with the next request of the hon. and gallant Member, he would have to place on the Table of the House the whole Correspondence of the Department during the last two years. That, of course, he must declino to do. COLONEL TOMLINE said, he had in his hand a copy of The Times report, according to which the right hon. Gentleman said the Canadian coinage had been executed without the knowledge of the Home Government. BOARD OF TRADE-FORESHORES AND down in the Treasury Minute of 22nd still purposes to apply the rules laid BED OF THE SEA.-QUESTION. COLONEL TOMLINE asked the Secretary of the Treasury, Why the Order of the House of the 17th March, 1869, for Return of Statements relative to Foreshores and Bed of the Sea from the Commissioners of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, has not been complied with; who is the officer responsible for the delay in giving effect to that Order; and, when may the Return be expected to be laid upon the Table of the House? MR. BAXTER said, he was afraid there had been a misunderstanding in regard to the Order. From the records of the Treasury he found that on the 19th of March no directions had been given, because the hon. and gallant Member had been requested to move for the Return in another form. The hon. and gallant Gentleman had not done so; but there was no objection to the substance of the Return, and he would communicate to the hon. and gallant Gentleman what information he was willing to give. MERCHANT SHIPPING-REDUCTION OF LIGHT DUES.-QUESTION. MR. T. E. SMITH (for Mr. NORWOOD) asked the President of the Board of Trade, If it is probable that a reduction in the dues levied on shipping for lights will shortly be made; and, if he can state the extent of the reduction contemplated? MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE was glad to say that the Board of Trade, on a review of the present condition of the revenue from light dues, was prepared to make a reduction in them to the amount of £60,000 per annum. The intention was that one-third of the reduction should go to the relief of the coasting trade, and the other two-thirds to the relief of the trade generally. The reduction would take effect from the 1st of October next. COUNTY COURT JUDGES (TRAVELLING EXPENSES.)-QUESTION. MR. ASSHETON CROSS asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he has considered the fact stated in the Letter of Mr. Serjeant Wheeler, dated 9th July 1872, addressed to the Lords of the Treasury; and, if so, whether he June 1872, to Judges appointed prior to the year 1870 ? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, he wished to state, in the first place, that the Minute in question was adopted in order to give effect to the wishes of the Committee of Supply with reference to the travelling expenses involved in the Question. ["No, no!"] However much that statement might be disputed, at all events he understood that to be the wish of the Committee. Moreover, whether that were so or not, he was unable to say he could deal with the arguments and facts stated in the letter of Mr. Serjeant Wheeler, because they seemed to amount to this- that when maintenance expenses were once fixed for a public officer they ought not to be revised or altered under any circumstances during his tenure of office. That would amount to a vested interest which he could not admit. With regard to the salary of an officer, he freely admitted it; but the expenses of an officer appeared to him to be perfectly met if he received a fair indemnity for the expense to which he was put. At the same time, he was bound in candour to say that fresh facts had come to his knowledge since the decision of the Committee was arrived at. It appeared to have been the opinion of several Lord Chancellors-though not of the present one nor of Lord Westbury-that County Court Judges should not reside in their districts; and he freely admitted that if any gentleman had made his arrangements for life in deference to that opinion the circumstance constituted a claim on the Treasury, and that expenses ought to be paid which otherwise would not have been allowed. The Treasury, therefore, were not willing to take the matter in a lump, but intended to consider each case separately, with a view of rendering complete justice to those who had submitted their claims. Lastly, anticipating the Question of the hon. and learned Member for Taunton (Mr. James), he had to state that the Estimates had been voted this year under the old footing, and would be applied for the coming year on that footing. Therefore, the hon. and learned Gentleman would have ample opportunity to challenge the propriety of any Vote the Treasury might propose to make. MR. JAMES said, it had also been his | enable us to form some clearer judgment intention to ask Mr. Chancellor of the as to the period when the Committee of Exchequer, Whether he will suspend its Supply will probably close, as that is the operation until there has been an oppor- matter on which arrangements, in point tunity of taking the sense of Parliament of time, will naturally depend. upon it? In consequence, however, of the explanation just given, he should wait to see what course was taken by the Department, repeating the Question, if necessary, hereafter. ARMY-WOOLWICH ACADEMY. QUESTION. LORD EUSTACE CECIL asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the Report of the Annual Inspection of Woolwich Academy, drawn up in accordance with the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Military Education, will be presented to Parliament before the close of the Session? MR. CARDWELL said, the Report would be presented before the Session closed. IRELAND-MR. JUSTICE KEOGH. QUESTION. MR. M'CARTHY DOWNING said, that at the conclusion of the debate on Thursday there had been an understanding that the Government would give an early day for the resumption of this discussion. He, therefore, begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman at the head of the Government, On what day the debate would be resumed, in order that Irish Members, looking to the period of the Session, might take whatever course became necessary under the circumstances? MR. GLADSTONE: Sir, I have been in expectation of seeing the hon. and learned Member for Limerick (Mr. Butt) in his place, and of having some communication with him upon the subject. The object of the postponement on Friday night was that we might be able, from the progress of Business, to form a clearer judgment as to the period when it would be possible to afford an opportunity for the resumption of the debate, and then to communicate this to my hon. and learned Friend and the other Irish Members. At present, we are unable to form any such judgment or to make any such communication, the progress on Friday and Saturday not having been such as we could have hoped. I can only trust that the next few days may SUPPLY-NAVY ESTIMATES. SUPPLY-considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Motion made, and Question proposed, "That a sum, not exceeding £928,510, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Expense of Naval Stores for building, repairing, and outfitting the Fleet and Coast Guard, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1873." MR. HUSSEY VIVIAN, in calling attention to the controversy which had existed during the past 25 years on the relative merits of Welsh and Northcountry coal for use in the Navy, said, that Admiral Symonds had reported that the smoke produced by the use of Northcountry coal rendered the observation of signals almost impossible; that Sir Alexander Milne said that in case of war North-country coal would be entirely unfit for the service, as it would make known the position of vessels, for from his own flag-ship he had seen the smoke at the distance of 30 miles; and that Captain Willes also said that the smoke of this coal damaged the clothes of the men employed. Those opinions were recorded in print, as were also certain remarks bearing upon them which were made by Vice Admiral Sir Spencer Robinson. He (Mr. Hussey Vivian) had perused those remarks with great pain, because he found that their tendency was to snub a number of admirals, captains, and chief engineers who had conducted and reported upon a series of experiments with great skill and care. Their accuracy, too, had been questioned, for the trials of the Urgent and the Lucifer, upon which they were chiefly founded, were, it was maintained, of a special character. He should, therefore, like to hear how these figures were arrived at. MR. GOSCHEN explained that the Minute of Sir Spencer Robinson was not communicated to the officers in question by way of censure, but was a confidential communication to the Admiralty for their information. It had only been presented to Parliament because some hon. Members had got to know the nature of the Reports, which were unsatisfactory to them, and because the Papers which had been ordered would not have been complete without it. used as the basis of his remarks on the Report of the commanders of the Fleet, and set it aside, showing instead of a saving of 14.83 per cent an actual loss MR. HUSSEY VIVIAN said, he was of 22 per cent. Again, Mr. Wright, glad to hear that the Minute had not who was a practical engineer on board been communicated to the officers. If the Indian transports, had stated the hon. Members would refer to the Re- saving derived from the figures of the ports, they would find that at page 35 same Report as that out of which Sir there was a summary of the first series Spencer Robinson deduced a saving of of experiments on the Lucifer. Of Welsh 14.83 per cent to be 16:03 per cent. coal the consumption was 4.65 lb per Looking at these opinions, he was borne horse power per hour, against 5.72 lb out in his belief that the conclusions of North-country coal, showing a loss of drawn from these very experiments on 23 per cent on North-country coal com- board the Urgent and Lucifer were enpared with Welsh coal; while in other tirely erroneous and unfounded. Trials experiments made with a mixture in also had taken place on board another equal proportions of Welsh and North- ship, but he could not find that these country coal, the consumption per horse trials had been reported to the House, power per hour was 5.37, or a difference and he would pass them over. The next of 16.4 per cent in favour of Welsh coal Report was that of Sir Hastings Yelveralone. In the summary relating to the ton, dated September, 1871, who stated trials on board the Urgent it appeared that from the late evolutionary experithat the mixture was 5 176, and the dif- ments with the combined squadrons, he ference 4.77, which was not a satis- had come to the conclusion that the prefactory result for Welsh coal; but it sent mode of using North-country coal must be borne in mind that in making was an error; but that looking at the this experiment the areas of the grates question in a more serious point of view, had been made to suit North-country in the event of war he was satisfied, from coal, and not to suit Welsh coal. With the difficulty he had experienced during Welsh coal, when used alone in the first the late cruise either in distinguishing trial, the consumption was 6:45. The ships or signals, that it would lead to a difference between the mixture and the national disaster. The next Report was Welsh coal alone was not less than 10 that of Commodore Augustus Phillimore, per cent, and that 10 per cent arose on who calculated that the eight vessels one-half of the coal, consequently the which composed the Fleet to which his difference was 20 per cent. On the Report referred could have stowed 231 former trials the difference was 32 per tons of Welsh coal alone more than of cent, the double of 16, because it was mixed coal. He put the average saving only on the half quantity. But be it as of Welsh coal over mixed at from 5 per it might, the difference was very great. cent to 12 per cent, and calculated that Now, these were the experiments on the Fleet could thus have kept at sea which Sir Spencer Robinson said there from five to seven days longer if the was an actual saving of 14.83. He ships had been supplied with Welsh would be glad if his right hon. Friend coal rather than with mixed Welsh or could show where there was the smallest North-country coal. It was unnecessary saving, and where there was not a loss to enlarge on the importance of employin the use of this mixture. He would ing coal which would enable the ships of find from the Report of Mr. Smith, who the Fleet to keep at sea at least onewas a practical engineer on board one fourth longer than they could do if they of Her Majesty's ships, that that gentle- used another description of coal. In reman did not arrive at the conclusion ference to the burning of black smoke, which Sir Spencer Robinson and Mr. the destruction which the consumption Murdoch had arrived at. Mr. Smith of the smoke caused to the boilers was said that when Welsh coal was carefully a very serious matter; but from the mixed, and compared with Welsh coal Papers before the House it appeared by itself, the Welsh coal by itself ex- that the reason of that destruction had hibited the almost unprecedented loss of not been at all apprehended, at least 22 per cent; so that he quietly took the by those in official charge at Whitehall. Report which Sir Spencer Robinson had Commodore Phillimore said that great |