composed did not come either under the Merchant Shipping Act or under the Mutiny Act. The Bill gave the Governor General for the first time power to legislate with respect to vessels between the limits of the Straits of Ma

EARL GRANVILLE: My Lords, I am very glad that the noble Marquess deprecates the idea of rejecting the Bill on the second reading. The noble Marquess desires, however, to refer it to a Select Committee; and I think the nature of the Bill will make it a fit sub-gellan on the one side and the Cape ject to be examined by such a Committee. But it should be remembered that this was not a measure framed in a Department of the Government, without any outward assistance being given; it was prepared by a skilful draftsman, of whom the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack speaks highly, and it is based on the recommendations of a Select Committee of this House.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: Not entirely.

of Good Hope on the other. The limits might appear to be rather wide; but it was thought advisable to err on that side rather than on the other in a question of jurisdiction over the sea. If vessels were used for purposes of war, of course they would come within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty, and not under that Act. The Bill was not one for extending the Marine Force, or creating a new Indian Marine. It was simply a disciplinary measure. The noble Earl concluded by moving the second reading

of the Bill.

EARL GRANVILLE: At any rate, with the omission of only two recommendations. The object of the Government is to get the Bill passed if possible; (The Earl of Kimberley.) but I reserve to the Government the right to decide whether it is desirable to consider the matter in a Committee of the House, or in a Select Committee.

Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2'."

THE EARL OF MILLTOWN said, that, after the observations of the noble Marquess (the Marquess of Salisbury), he would not divide the House on his Amendment.

Amendment (by leave of the House) withdrawn; original Motion agreed to; Bill read 2 accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.

INDIAN MARINE BILL.-(No. 88.) (The Earl of Kimberley.)

SECOND READING.

LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY said, that the ground of his objection to the Bill was the excessive limits of the proposed jurisdiction, which had made the Bill to seem as if intended to revive the Indian Navy; this his noble Friend had now stated was not intended. But the waters described in the Bill as Indian waters would include, besides the whole of the Indian Ocean, the North and South Pacific, and they might as well add the Atlantic, which was comparatively a small piece of water. The reason this was not done was because the Admiralty feared a conflict of jurisdiction; but this objection might arise equally in the Pacific Ocean. He begged leave, however, to withdraw his Motion

Order of the Day for the Second Read- for the rejection of the Bill. ing read.

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, the Bombay Marine were converted into an Indian Navy in 1829. In 1862 that Navy was abolished, and the Act which had been passed for the discipline and regulation of the Force was abolished. There had long existed a Bengal Marine, which served in certain of our wars in the neighbourhood of India; but there was no special law under which that Marine was regulated. Since the abolition of the Indian Navy, the Indian Marine Force had continued to exist; but the ships of which it was

In answer to Viscount SIDMOUTH,

THE EARL OF NORTHBROOK said, that no arrangement was made in the Bill as to the status of the officers of the ships which would come under the Bill in case war should arise.

Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.

House adjourned at a quarter past Seven o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Ten o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Monday, 18th June, 1888.

MINUTES.] - NEW MEMBER SWORN-The hon. Montague Curzon, for Leicester County (Northern Division).

THE SCOTTISH LEGAL FRIENDLY
SOCIETY-DISHONESTY OF
OFFICIALS.

DR. CAMERON asked the Lord Advocate, Whether, in view of the fact that fictitious books were with impunity used as passports to the special meeting of the Scottish Legal Society recently held in Edinburgh, and the allegations

fraudulent use at the special meeing ordered by the Registrar to be held in Glasgow, he will take steps to secure the prosecution of any person detected in the attempt to repeat this fraud at the forthcoming meeting?

PRIVATE BILL (by Order) — Third Reading--that they are again being issued for Belfast Harbour, and passed. PUBLIC BILLS-Ordered-First Reading-Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 8)* [230]; Turnpike Acts Continuance [231]; Municipal Offices Disqualification (Ireland) * [232]; High Court of Justice (Continuous Sittings) [233]. First Reading-Commons and Inclosure Acts Amendment (No. 2) * [234]; Cathedral Statutes [235]; Elementary Education Provisional Order Confirmation (London) * [236]. Committee - Parliamentary Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices [7] [Fifth Night] -R.P.; Statute of Frauds Amendment [204]-R.P. Third Reading-Tramways Provisional Orders [167]; Tramways Provisional Orders (No. 3) [169], and passed.

EGYPT

QUESTIONS.

10:0:

INTERNATIONAL SANITARY
BOARD-QUARANTINE.

MR. PUGH asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been directed to the action of the International Sanitary Board in Egypt, and in particular to the recent reimposition of quarantine, owing to an alleged outbreak of cholera in India; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have taken or will take any steps to prevent the constantly recurring inconvenience and loss caused to Her Majesty's subjects by such action?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: Yes, Sir; the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been directed to the action of the International Sanitary Board and to the recent re-imposition of quarantine owing to an alleged outbreak of cholera in India. Her Majesty's Government fully recognize the inconvenience and loss occasioned thereby, and they are taking steps which it is hoped may suffice to remedy these evils,

THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR): My hon. Friend may rest assured that I shall use all the powers which the law provides for the punishment of any fraudulent proceedings which can be proved with regard to this Society. At the same time I must point out that it is the duty of the Society itself to take proper precautions against the admission of persons who are not members. Such precautions were taken by order of the Registrar at the special meeting in Edinburgh on the 17th of February last, and I understand that they were quite effectual. There has not yet been sufficient evidence obtained to establish a crime against anyone.

ARMY-MILITARY RIOTS AT

PORTSMOUTH.

LORD EUSTACE CECIL asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that in consequence of the large number of time-expired men brought up for rioting and drunkenness before the magistrates at Portsmouth, and who are at present waiting to be sent home, the Commanding Officers of the Forts at which they are stationed have given notice that they will no longer advance money to pay fines, the result of which will be that the men will now invariably be sent to prison; and, if so, whether he will find some remedy for a state of things which, if allowed to go on, may have a serious effect in deterring men from re-enlisting, or joining the Reserve?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON: Sir, in consequence of the number of Reserve men arriving for discharge simultaneously with the Indian reliefs,

PUBLIC HEALTH (METROPOLIS) —
SANITARY CONDITION OF

WHITECHAPEL.

the Discharge Depôt at Portsmouth was | the Consular Estimates, which have not unable to contain all the men, and yet been voted. many had to be quartered in other barracks. There has been, I am sorry to say, a good deal of drunkenness. am informed that no notice has been given by officers commanding forts that they will no longer advance the money for paying fines. The contingency referred to in the latter part of the noble Lord's Question need not, therefore, be apprehended as an immediate result; but I am considering whether, before the next trooping season, some arrangement can be made for discharging the men more expeditiously.

SPAIN THE "TRIO."

not now possessed by local authorities, he will undertake to bring in a Bill to amend the Building Acts in this important particular, by investing the proper local authorities with such powers?

MR. BRYCE asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the two last Reports presented to the Whitechapel District Board of Works by the Medical Office of Health on the sanitary which he condemns, as unsanitary and condition of the Whitechapel district, in ill-arranged, several new buildings recently erected in that district, and expresses the opinion that amendments in MR. O'KELLY (for Mr. HEALY) asked the existing Building Acts are urgently the Under Secretary of State for Foreign required; and, whether, if sufficient Affairs, Whether he has seen the state-the closing of unsanitary dwellings are powers to prevent the erection or order ment that on a Sunday in last month the ship "Trio," commanded and owned the ship "Trio," commanded and owned by Captain J. W. Kelly, of Wexford, was boarded at Corunna by the British Consul and his son, who came alongside in a Spanish man of war's board full of armed men, and demanded, as the "Trio" had her spars decorated with flags of all nations (including Ireland), that the "Fenian flag" should be removed, and "all the rest; " whether, since the flags in question have been flown by the "Trio" on gala days in many quarters of the world, and that the alleged "Fenian flag" was floated in Wexford Port without complaint about two months ago, and is simply a green flag with a harp and cross upon it, the Government approve the Consul's action; if so, upon what authority it was based; whether, notwithstanding Captain Kelly's explanations and protests, he was obliged to remove all the bunting; and, upon what portion of the estimates the salary of the Consul at Corunna becomes a charge, and whether the amount has yet been voted?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: Sir, the newspaper report referred to by the hon. Member is not accurate. A full Report on the subject has been received from Her Majesty's Consul at Corunna, which, together with any other Correspondence, will be laid before Parliament. It appears that the captain of the Trio had failed to comply with the regulations of the port in not hoisting at the main-masthead the British Flag. The salary of the Consul is borne on

The Marquess of Hartington

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: Sir, Bill on this subject, as well as many I should be very glad to introduce a other subjects, if my hon. Friend would undertake to find time to pass them.

LUNATIC ASYLUMS (IRELAND). MR. MOORE asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether there is any truth in the rumour that it is intended to transfer the control of lunatic asylums in Ireland to the Local Government Board; if he could explain the reason of this change; and, whether legislation is required for this purpose?

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, it is the intention of the Government to make the transfer referred to, should Parliament consent, and a Bill for the purpose has already been introduced into "another place "-Lunatic Poor (Ireland) Bill. I shall be glad to explain fully the reasons for which the change is considered desirable when the Bill reaches this House. But I am bound to say that, in the present state of Business, and having regard to the other Irish measures before the House, it is extremely doubtful whether the Bill can be carried to maturity.

MR. W. J. CORBET: I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman, If the public asylums of Ireland are not in a high state of efficiency; if they have been

brought to that state under the direction | clerk of the union, is not related to Mr. of the present Inspectors; and, if it is Hopkins, the sitting guardian, or whenot a fact that the present Department is ther the relationship was admitted at the worked at half the expense propor- investigation; and, what steps he intends tionately of the English and Scotch De- to take in the matter? partments; and, if so, what can be the public necessity under the circumstances for the great change that has been decided upon ?

sold his lighthouse patents to a Company | Court shall be held at each polling place. for a very large sum of money, and also The objections to this course are such as contain an opinion by Mr. Vernon Har- to render it quite impracticable. The court adverse to the merits of the Doug- Lord Lieutenant has power, with the lass burner; and, whether he will have advice of the Privy Council, to appoint any objection to print the letter in full ? additional places at which Revision Courts MR. CHAMBERLAIN was under- should be held, and any application made stood to say that the particular docu- to His Excellency to exercise that power ment referred to by the hon Gentleman would, no doubt, receive careful conwas distinctly stated in the Parliamen- sideration. tary Papers to be an enclosure from the Board of Trade to the Trinity House. It was referred to in that letter as extracts from a communication from Mr. Vernon Harcourt; and it was printed in the Papers precisely as it was sent to Trinity House. There would be no objection to let the hon. Member see the letter in full.