was brought in by the Metropolitan | there were some hon. Gentlemen who Board of Works, the ratepayers of the did not credit that statement; but there Metropolis ought to know something were a great many people who travelled about the measure. Now, this Bill by the line, and who had acknowledged proposed, in Clause 5, that the rate- with gratitude the efforts made by the payers of the Metropolis should pay District Railway to improve the atmonot only the whole expense of erecting sphere in the tunnels. Having made the ventilators, which had proved of so these few observations, he merely demuch use during the short time they sired, on behalf of some of the ratehad been in operation, but that they payers of the Metropolis, to enter a should pay the whole of the cost of strong protest against their money removing them. That was a reckless being squandered in the way proposed expenditure, in his opinion, and one by the Metropolitan Board of Works, which it was very hard that the rate- and to hope that the Bill would never payers should be called upon to bear. come back to the House from the Select Personally, he had very little confidence Committee to which it would be rein the Metropolitan Board of Works; ferred. and, with all respect to the hon. and gallant Baronet the Member for Truro (Sir James M'Garel-Hogg), he had very little confidence in him as the Chairman of the Board. He would tell the House why. His hon. and gallant Friend had, year after year, opposed Motions which he (Mr. Monk) and others had brought forward in the House for referring the Annual Bill of the Metropolitan Board of Works to a Committee of the House. He (Mr. Monk) had always held that the large expenditure incurred by the Metropolitan Board of Works ought to be submitted to the examination of a Committee of the House of Commons; and the House would remember that in 1881-two years ago the late Lord Frederick Cavendish gave his assent to the Bill of the next Session-namely, last Session-being so referred. But his hon. Friend the present Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Courtney), when he succeeded to the Office, refused his assent to that course being followed last year. He (Mr. Monk) had a strong objection to any expenditure being incurred by the Metropolitan Board of Works which was not audited by the House. Yesterday, the London Commissioners of Sewers obtained the second reading of a Bill, the effect of which would really be to aid in poisoning the millions of persons who travelled by the Metropolitan District Railway. He had had some little experience of travelling on the Underground Railway, both before and since the ventilators had been erected; and he said, without fear of contradiction, that there was now a much purer atmosphere in the tunnels than there was before the ventilators were constructed. He knew Mr. Monk

no

SIR JAMES M'GAREL-HOGG said, he was very sorry indeed that he did not possess the confidence of his hon. Friend (Mr. Monk). He was happy to say, however, that he possessed the confidence of other people, and had done so for a considerable time. As regarded the Metropolitan Board of Works, he could only say they endeavoured to do their duty. They represented the Metropolis; they carried out their duty to the best of their ability; and they never spent a penny more of the public's money than was necessary. The question of the Annual Money Bill was not now before the House, though, if it were, it would simply be found to be a recapitulation of what both Houses of Parliament had passed year after year. He maintained there was necessity whatever to send it to a Select Committee. As to the proposed expenditure, he thought the money of the ratepayers would be remarkably well spent in defending their own property. He said yesterday, and he was sorry to have to repeat it, that, considering the original cost of the Embankment and Gardens was more than £1,500,000, £40,000 would be very well spent in preventing them from being desecrated and destroyed. As a matter of fact, in whatever the Metropolitan Board of Works were now doing, they were simply carrying out the instructions of the House. In accordance with the views of the Select Committee of the House, the Board were now engaged in making experiments with the object of showing that the present ventilators were not at all needed, because the ventilation of the railway could be carried out in a much better way.

in order that we may have time to in- | ing regard to the general convenience quire whether this hon. and learned and state of business. They consider Gentleman is the author of the famous that much loss of time would have been placard at the Tyrone Election-Vote for involved by selecting for the purpose Porter and Fair Rents, which raised the more than two or three towns in each banner of political corruption in Ireland. county in which the Sub-Commission acts. However, it has power to adjourn Amendment proposed, to any other town within the county, and may therefore, on application being made to it when sitting at Tipperary, adjourn to Cashel for the convenience of parties whose holdings are near that town. I have answered Questions on this subject more than once, and anı unable to give any further information upon it.

To leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "the issue of the Writ for the County of Monaghan be suspended until the decision of Parliament has been had regarding the Parliamentary Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices) Bill now before this House,"-(Mr. Biggar,) --instead thereof.

Question, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question," put, and agreed to.

Main Question put.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Ireland to make out a New Writ for the electing of a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the County of Monaghan, in the room of John Givan, esquire, who since his Election for the said County has accepted the office of Crown So

licitor for the Counties of Meath and Kildare.

QUESTIONS.

19:0:6

THE IRISH LAND COMMISSION (SUB

COMMISSIONERS)-CASHEL UNION. MR. MAYNE asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to a recent resolution of the Board of Guardians of the Cashel Union, declaring

"That we hereby condemn the practice of the Irish Land Commissioners of this district, of sending the application for a fair rent from this union to be heard in Tipperary, as a great injustice and hardship to the tenant farmers of this union, and imposing on thein extra cost, trouble, and inconvenience, especially as there is a spacious court-house in Cashel, where general quarter sessions are held, as well as ample accommodation in the town for the Commissioners, solicitors, valuators, and applicants; and, whether, considering that portions of the Cashel Union are nearly forty miles from Tipperary, arrangements will be made that, for the future, cases from this union shall be heard in Cashel, and thus save the farmers of the district the great inconvenience and expense involved in the present arrangements?

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, the Land Commissioners arranged the sittings of this Sub-Commission according to the best of their judgment and ability, hav

Mr. Sexton

POST OFFICE (CONTRACTS)-THE IRISH
MAIL SERVICE.

MR. GRAY asked the Postmaster General, Whether, in the event of the Government deciding to use for the mail service between Holyhead and Kingstown vessels inferior in length, beam, draught, tonnage, or horse-power to those now employed, he will communicate such intention to Parliament before the Contract is signed or the Government absolutely committed to it?

MR. FAWCETT: Sir, even for a definite period, exceeding one year, must temporary sea service, any contract for a be laid on the Table of the House, and will not be binding until it has lain there one month without disapproval, or has been approved by Resolution. If it should be proposed to enter into a contract for the period of one year, or any less period, there will be no objec tion, in the exceptional circumstances of the case, to promise, as the hon. Member suggests, that the House shall be informed of the intention of the Government before any binding contract is executed.

NAVY-THE DOCKYARDS-ARTIZANS'

MEMORIALS.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether any decision has as yet been arrived at on the various petitions submitted to the Board by different classes of artizans working in Her Majesty's Dockyards; and, if so, whether such decision will be carried out this year, and the necessary Votes taken in the Estimates?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN : Sir, a personal inquiry has been made

tion.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF: Is it to be kept, as a record, at the Foreign Office?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE : I wish to ask for Notice of the Question. SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF: I will ask the Question on Monday.

by some of my Colleagues and myself Table the letter referred to in the Quesinto the subject of the various Memorials from the Dockyards, and we are now engaged in considering the cases submitted. I should mislead the hon. Member if I implied by my answer that "Votes" would necessarily be required; because, until a decision is arrived at, it is impossible to say whether an addition will be made to the wages of any of the workmen. No unnecessary delay will take place; but the ground covered by the Memorialists is of great extent, and the examination cannot be hurried.

NAVY-WRECK OF H.M.S. "LIVELY."

MR. GOURLEY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If he can explain the cause of the loss of H.M.S. Lively;" and, whether the rocks upon which the vessel struck were correctly set out on the charts in possession of the commander and pilot?

SIR JOHN HAY also asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether H.M.S. "Lively" is a total wreck, or whether there is some hope she may be saved for Her Majesty's service?

EGYPT-LAW AND JUSTICE-TRIALS

OF AHMED KHANDEEL AND
SULEIMAN SAMI.

MR. GORST asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When the trial of Ahmed Khandeel will take place; whether it will be conducted in the same manner as that of Suleiman Sami; whether Major Macdonald will be instructed by Her Majesty's GovernEdward Malet to forward immediately ment to watch the proceedings, and Sir any protest Major Macdonald may find it necessary to make against them; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will take such precautions as may be necessary to secure Ahmed Khandeel a fair trial?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN : Sir, from the telegram read in the House Sir, in answer to the hon. Member for yesterday by the Prime Minister, it Sunderland (Mr. Gourley), I have to would appear that the instruction in say that the Admiralty have no fuller this case has been completed, and that details of the unfortunate accident to the trial is now about to take place. The the Lively than have appeared in the prisoner will be tried by Court Martial, reports in newspapers; and it would be as was Suleiman Sami. Major Macdonald is watching this case, as he has improper for me to offer an opinion as to the cause of the accident until the watched the others. It is not considered circumstances have been officially in- necessary to give him further instrucquired into. The rock on which she tions as to reporting to Sir Edward ran is a well-known rock, and is marked Malet, the instructions he has already on the charts. In answer to the Ques-being deemed sufficient. Sir Edward tion of the right hon. and gallant Baronet (Sir John Hay), we have still some hope that the Lively may be beached and pumped out, when the extent of the damage to her will be ascertained.

PAPAL SEE-DIPLOMATIC COMMUNI

CATIONS (MR. ERRINGTON). SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If Her Majesty's Government will lay upon the Table a copy of the letter originally written by Lord Granville to Mr. Errington, to be shown by him to the Papal authorities?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: No, Sir; it is not intended to lay on the

Malet has received instructions to see that Ahmed Khandeel should secure a fair trial, in keeping with the pledges given in the House, and explained in one of the despatches which will be presented.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON asked the noble Lord, If he would have any objection to state the exact clause under which Ahmed Khandeel was being tried; what he was being tried for; whether, as stated by The Times' Correspondent on the 10th June, he was to be indicted on a charge of want of energy in the execution of his duty; and, whether the Government would sanction his execution if he was found guilty of such a charge?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE, by whom the examination was conin reply, said, he thought it would be ducted? botter if his hon. Friend gave Notice of the Question. The Foreign Office, at the present moment, did not possess information which would enable him to reply to the Question.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF said, he wished to ask the Prime Minister whether the Government had received any information from Sir Edward Malet respecting the trial of Suleiman Sami? MR. GLADSTONE: I read a tele-planation. In putting a Question, on gram yesterday from Sir Edward Malet. SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF: But that contained nothing at all.