brisk of late, and throughout Cape Colony weapons of every kind have been in good request of late, on account of the Basuto War and the disturbed state of the neighbouring tribes on the eastern seaboard;" and, if these statements are true, whether Her Majesty's Government cannot discourage the sale of old stores for such purposes, as well as the exportation of arms and ammunition known to be intended for use against ourselves? MR. CHAMBERLAIN, in reply, said, that the statements which the hon. Member had extracted from The Ironmonger newspaper appeared to be somewhat indefinite in their character. He did not think they justified the Question which the hon. Member had founded on them. He had no special information on the subject to which those statements related; but he was strongly of opinion that no British manufacturers of arms were exporting arms and ammunition known to be intended for use against ourselves. As regards the sale of military arms from the Government stores, the hon. Member asked a Question which had been twice replied to in the House. He could only repeat that in the time of the late Government 200,000 old Enfield rifles were sold at an average price of 18. 6d. apiece. He was not aware whether any of those arms had found their way to Ireland; but if the hon. Member was under any apprehension on the subject, he might be relieved to know, on the authority of the noble Lord who represented the late Government in that matter, that all those arms were unserviceable, and some of them were dangerous to the persons using them. He had only to add that during the time of the present Government these sales had been entirely discontinued. No arms whatever had been sold by the present Government under these circumstances. MR. MAC IVER remarked that his Question referred to the time of the present Government. MR. CHAMBERLAIN: No arms whatever have been sold by the present Government. COLONEL STANLEY: As the right hon. Gentleman has referred with emphasis to the action of the late Government, may I ask whether it is not the case that the sale of arms was begun by the former Liberal Government and stopped by the late Conservative Government ? MR. CHAMBERLAIN: The right hon. and gallant Gentleman asks me a Question which is not within my knowledge. Probably it would be better to address it to the Secretary of State for War. MR. O'DONNELL asked whether it was legal for a Government official to sell dangerous weapons to the public; and, if not, whether it was the intention of the Government to institute a prosecution against the official of the late Government responsible for such sale? MR. CHAMBERLAIN requested the hon. Gentleman to give Notice of his Question. LAW AND POLICE-FAILURE OF JUSTICE. VISCOUNT FOLKESTONE asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Why, in a recent case of the abuse of a child of nine years of age, the police permitted the offender to escape from England without endeavourhe will cause inquiries to be made why ing to bring him to justice; whether no prosecution was instituted by the police authorities; and, whether he will give instructions that in future the police such a failure of justice; or, if the police shall take the necessary steps to prevent have no jurisdiction in such cases, whether he will state who is the proper person to undertake prosecutions in matters of this kind? SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: This matter is now under investigation. I have not got the facts properly before me, and it would be premature for me to express an opinion on them. PROTECTION OF PERSON AND PROPERTY (IRELAND) ACT, 1881-THE POLITICAL PRISONERS. MR. HEALY asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If he can state the number of hours of exercise or intercourse allowed to political prisoners in Kilmainham, Galway, Naas, and Limerick Gaols, and if there is any difference in the periods allowed, and the reason? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW): Six hours is daily allowed in exercise and association. There is no difference in that respect in any of the gaols. POST OFFICE-KIDDERMINSTER Beauchamp Seymour's flag at Malta, LAW AND POLICE-PUBLIC MEETINGS. MR. BRINTON asked the Postmaster General, If the statement in a local paper is correct that, owing to the unsafe and dilapidated condition of the front of the Post Office at Kidder-cretary of State for the Home Departminster, letters can be removed from directed to complaints made by various ment, Whether his attention has been the letter-box by passers by; and, whether he will take immediate steps to gentlemen who obtained access to the remedy the complaint? platform at Exeter Hall on Friday last. on the occasion of a meeting at which and who were provided with tickets by the chair was taken by Earl Percy, M.P. the Committee that organised the meetfrom the platform by a body of the ing, but who were forcibly removed Metropolitan Police; and, whether the Police were justified in taking this course MR. FAWCETT, in reply, said, so far as he had been able to ascertain, the only probable cause of insecurity was that the box might have become obstructed through persons attempting to post in it parcels too large to pass properly, instead of handing them over the counter. There was nothing, he was informed, in the condition of the front of the office to cause insecurity. The building, however, was an incommodious one, and steps were being taken to provide a new post office. NAVY-THE MEDITERRANEAN FLEET. LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether any orders have been given to the Commander in Chief in the Mediter ranean within the last month or six weeks or so, for the dispersion of the vessels ordinarily composing the Medi terranean Fleet? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir Beauchamp Seymour, the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, wrote on the 17th of March to ask that the large ships under his command might have a month's independent cruise, preparatory to the long cruise of the whole Squadron which takes place during the The Board replied to this, which, I am told by those who know, is a very workmanlike proposal, by a letter which ran thus summer. "With reference to your letter of the 17th inst., I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that they approve of the large ships of your Squadron being detached for a month's independent cruise provided you are in telegraphic communication with them at the ports to which each ship will proceed. My Lords consider the ports of Villafranca, Barcelona, and Port Mahon are too far from Malta, and should not now be visited." The iron-clads accordingly cruised about well within call in case of need, as was proved directly the Monarch was wanted; and the Squadron has now rejoined Sir of action? application of the fund would be in- METROPOLITAN BRIDGES AND FERRY INDIA FERRY ROADS. has been called to an attempt to murder committed by three soldiers on Sunday morning, May 16th, near Portobello, Dublin; whether the military authorities have made any effort to discover the guilty parties; and, if so, what efforts; and, whether he will order a list of men belonging to the detachment of the Army Service Corps, stationed in Portobello, who were absent from barracks between twelve o'clock on Saturday night and six o'clock on Sunday morning to be furnished to the police, in order to facilitate the discovery of the authors of the attempted murder? MR. CHILDERS: I have read the papers in this case, and I find that on the 15th of May a man named M Call, and a woman, came to Portobello Barracks and stated that the former had been thrown into the Canal by some men of the Army Service Corps. Inquiries were made, and next morning all the men of the Army Service Corps at Portobello who had been on leave the previous night were paraded for identification by M'Call; but he failed to identify the culprits. The military authorities have used every endeavour, and given every facility to the police, to discover THE MAGISTRACY (IRELAND)—— MR. BIGGAR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that Mr. J. C. Gard MR. RITCHIE asked the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works, Whether Clauses for providing for the free use by the public of the East and West India Ferry Roads, in the parish of Poplar, had not been inserted in the Metropolitan Bridges and Ferry Roads Bill, and subsequently struck out after such Bill was committed, but before it had been considered by the Committee; if such Clauses were struck out, the reason for so doing; if it is not the fact that the East and West India Ferry Roads are the only roads in the Metropolis on which toll is levied; and, whe-the culprits, but without success. ther the Metropolitan Board of Works propose to take further action to relieve the public from such tolls, and extinguish the ferry rights created by the Act 52 Geo. 3, and dissolve the Poplar and Greenwich Ferry Company? SIR JAMES M GAREL-HOGG, in re-ner, Henry Thynne, Rodolphus Harvey, ply, said, that the Metropolitan Bridges and Ferry Roads Bill did contain the clauses in question, and that they were struck out. This course was taken under advice, in consequence of the opposition of the Poplar and Greenwich Ferry Company, with the details of which he would not take up the time of the House. He was unable to inform his hon. Friend whether the East and West India Ferry Roads were the only roads in the Metropolis on which toll was levied, or whe-trates? ther the Metropolitan Board proposed to take further action in the matter; but he was sure that their best attention would be given to any representation which might be made to them on the subject. STATE OF IRELAND-ALLEGED OUT KAGE BY SOLDIERS IN DUBLIN. MR. O'KELLY asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention David Harrell, policemen and chiefs of the detective force, and H. A. Blake, sub-inspector of the police, all of Belfast, have been appointed judges or stipendiary magistrates in Ireland; and if such appointments are not calculated to shake the confidence of the people in the impartial administration of the Law; and, if he will place upon the Table of the House, the certificates recommending them to the office of resident magis THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. Law): It is true that these gentlemen were each at the head of the Belfast branch of the detective force for some time during their services as Constabulary officers, and that they have been appointed stipendiary magistrates. They are most efficient magistrates, performing their duties in a very satisfactory manner, and their appoint London; " ments are in no way calculated to shake | be borne in mind in any commercial negotiathe confidence of the people in the im- tions with France which may be conducted in partial administration of the law. I do not know to what certificates the hon. Member refers. There are no such things. concerned? and, whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the desirability of entering into negotiations with other Foreign Powers with a view of making such alterations in existing Treaties as will bring the letter of those Treaties in accord with their spirit and intention? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: The question of the sugar bounties is dealt with by the Board of Trade; but the Foreign Office have undertaken to bring before the French Commissioners, in the course of the ensuing Commercial negotiations, the complaints respecting the effect of the bounties granted in France to sugar and shipping. Her Majesty's Government cannot tie their hands by undertaking to make the conclusion of any Commercial Treaty dependent upon the acceptance of a foreign Government of their views upon any given point. MR. RITCHIE gave Notice that, on going into Committee of Supply, he would call the attention of the House to the despatch of Lord Granville to Mr. MR. GRANT DUFF: We are informed by Sir Hercules Robinson that the explanation of the Boer leaders is as follows:-They say that during the war their hands were so full that they had no time to think of anything else, and that their promise to co-operate was made on the 21st of March, after which date the government was out of their hands, and they had no power to arrest. They have given the names of the per- OUTRAGES AGAINST JEWS IN RUSSIA sons believed to be implicated, and say they are willing to assist the officers of justice in arresting these persons when a warrant of apprehension is issued. LORD EUSTACE CECIL: Can the right hon. Gentleman mention the names? MR. GRANT DUFF: I do not know them. FRANCE-THE NEW COMMERCIAL TREATY (NEGOTIATIONS). MR. RITCHIE asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in the ensuing negotiations with France for the conclusion of a Commercial Treaty, the representatives of Great Britain will be instructed to insist on the insertion of some provision to prevent the spirit and intention of our Treaties being broken by the giving of bounties, referred to by Lord Granville in a despatch to Mr. Adams, dated July 30th, 1880, as follows: Adams. -INQUIRY BY SPECIAL AGENT. MR. O'DONNELL asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in cases where no consular officers are stationed at the districts in Russia reputed to have risen against the Jewish population, Her Majesty's Government will follow the precedent created by the mission of Mr. Baring into Bulgaria, and despatch a special agent to examine and report into the alleged outrages? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: No, Sir. A deputation, representing various Jewish bodies, which waited on Lord Granville on Tuesday, pointed out that no analogy existed between the cases which the hon. Member compares. ARMY ORGANIZATION — MILITIA EARL PERCY asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the Militia Battalions are to become the 3rd and 4th Battalions of Regular Regiments after the 1st of July; and, whether those which have not hitherto had a perma "It is a fair matter of representation that such bounties are contrary to the spirit and intention of those Treaties, and will, in another way, produce the very effect which their stipulations with reference to useful duties are in-nent Adjutant will then be supplied with tended to prevent. This view of the case will one? The Attorney General for Ireland MR. CHILDERS: In reply to the noble and gallant Lord, I have to state that, practically, Militia Regiments will be treated, as a general rule, as 3rd and 4th Battalions of Territorial Regiments from the 1st of July. Technically, however, formalities have to be observed, which will defer for a short time this affiliation being completed. It is not yet finally settled in which cases the two Adjutants will be allowed; but this will be decided before next year's training. ARMY ORGANIZATION-MILITARY MR. MOLLOY asked the Secretary of State for War, If, in the case of Colonels who are retired compulsorily or voluntarily under the new Warrant, and who will be entitled to retire as Major Generals, he will permit them to retain the designation of Colonel should any of them express a preference for retiring with that grade? MR. CHILDERS: Yes, Sir; by all POST OFFICE LEGAL STATUS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. tion was guilty of grave neglect in the discharge of his duty, by failing to collect voting papers in the houses of several of the streets in which he had laid them down, and in other districts having called at the residence of the voters at ten or eleven o'clock at night, when many of them had retired to bed; if it be true that the policeman in company with Mr. James R. Christian, one of the successful candidates, under their system of election, entered a public-house in the said ward, and partook of refreshments, and whilst thus regaling themselves, is it true that the parcel of collected voting papers then in the constable's possession were opened, examined, and altered by the said Mr. Christian, or one of his agents, who was also present; and, if any or all of these assumptions be accurate, will he take into consideration the form in which the last election for the Poor Law Guardians for Cromae was conducted? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW): Since my right. hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland replied to a previous Question on this subject, we have received a Report in reference to it from the Inspector MR. MACLIVER asked the Post-General of Constabulary. It appears master General, If his attention has been called to the opinion given, on the 19th instant, by Mr. Attorney General, defining the legal status of the Telegraph Clerks; and, whether he will adopt that opinion and act upon it? MR. FAWCETT, in reply, said, that anyone who had heard or read the that certain allegations having been his conduct in the distribution and colmade against the sub-constable affecting lection of the Poor Law voting papers in the Cromac Ward, the Inspector General directed that charges of neglect be framed against him and brought in the performance of this duty should before the magistrates, under 6 Will. ÏV. c. 13, s. 19, for adjudication. These charges were fully investigated by the magistrates on the 13th instant, and after a careful and protracted inquiry they acquitted the sub-constable. was not proved that he partook of rePOOR LAW (IRELAND)-ELECTION OF freshments from the candidate, Mr. GUARDIANS, BELFAST. answer of his hon. and learned Friend on this subject would come to the conclusion that he had not defined the legal status of the telegraph clerks, and he had certainly not been asked to do so. MR. BIGGAR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to the manner in which the annual election of Poor Law Guardians for Cromae Ward, in the Borough of Belfast, has been conducted for the present year; if it be true, as disclosed in evidence before the magistrates at petty sessions, in Belfast, on the 13th May instant, that the policeman entrusted with the delivery and collection of voting papers at said elec VOL. CCLXI. [THIRD SERIES.] It My Christian, in a public-house; and there 2 U |