proclaim the Borough of Belfast under the provisions of the Peace Preservation Act, seeing that there have been no agrarian outrages, and that crime is generally on the decrease in the district? to the fact that about 240 ejectments for | What are the reasons which have innon-payment of rent have been served at duced Her Majesty's Government to the instance of the Commissioners of Endowed Schools against their tenants in the neighbourhood of Coalisland, in the county of Tyrone; and, whether, considering that the Commissioners hold the lands for public purposes, he will use his influence to induce them to give further time to the tenants, so as not to impose upon them the enormous amount of cost so many actions will entail? MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that the Peace Preservation Act had been applied to Belfast only as far as the sale and the carrying of arms and ammunition went, and not as to the possession of them. That had been done after consultation with the authorities in consequence of the fact that party feeling prevailed in the town some times in the year. One of the strongest arguments in favour of the renewal of the Peace Preservation Act was that danger would arise in places where party spirit ran high at the time when processions took place, and where unlicensed fire-arms were carried. The Government had no reason to doubt the general loyal and peaceable demeanour of the inhabitants of Belfast, but they felt that they would not be justified in neglecting to take proper precautions against armed men taking part in those processions. MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, he was himself an ex officio Commissioner of Endowed Schools; but he had never, nor, he believed, had any of his Predecessors, taken any active part in the business of the Commission. He had, however, received from the secretary a statement of the facts of that matter. Seventy-eight ejectments had been given out for service. The rental of the land was £1,765; the Government valuation, including buildings, was £1,777; the rents being much below those of the adjoining estates, the Commissioners declined to make any abatement this year, first, because the sum of £200 had been advanced to the tenants in the shape of seed, only a small portion of which had been repaid, and next, because crops were above the average. In February last the agent reported that only £700 had been paid by the tenants. With a few exceptions the tenants were able to MR. MACLIVER asked Mr. Attorney pay, but refused to do so, though the General, If Clause 7 in "The Telegraph agent had attended on several occa- Act, 1868," by which the clerks transsions. Proceedings had, therefore, been ferred from the Companies to the Godirected to be taken against those who vernment are admitted to the rights and were able to pay; and it was only against privileges of clerks in the "permanent those tenants that ejectments had been Civil Service of the Crown," is still in been obtained. Furthermore, the agent force; and, if so, whether the clerks can had been authorized to offer time to those be legally deprived of the position conwho might promise to pay; but no appli-ferred upon them by the said Act; and, cations for time had yet been made. The particulars as to that estate would be found in the Report of the Endowed Schools Commission. LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL asked whether the Commissioners had not remitted 15 per cent of their rents last year? MR. W. E. FORSTER said, he believed that they had. PEACE PRESERVATION (IRELAND) MR. EWART asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Mr. Litton TELEGRAPH ACT, 1868-POSITION OF TELEGRAPH CLERKS. whether those clerks who joined subsequently are not entitled to the same advantages by the Superannuation Post Office and War Office Act of 1876, which was supposed to place the pre-transfer and post-transfer clerks on an equal footing? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES): Sir, I have had some difficulty in following the Question of my hon. Friend. In the first place, Clause 7 of the Telegraph Act of 1868 has no bearing upon the subject of the Question. I presume that the hon. Member intends to refer to one of the sub-sections of Clause 8. If my surmise which was to be presented to the Porte by six Vlach delegates; but no great importance was attributed to this proceeding, and we have heard nothing that would connect Austrian agents with it. FRANCE AND TUNIS-THE FRENCH be correct, I answer the first part of his | Petition against annexation to Greece, Question by saying that I believe that enactment is still in force, and whatever may be the legal rights of clerks under that enactment they are entitled to enjoy them. As to the second part of the Question, I say I cannot admit that my hon. Friend is right in saying that the Superannuation Act of 1876 "is supposed to place the pre-transfer and posttransfer clerks on an equal footing." Certainly that is not the correct inter-cretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whepretation of the Act of 1876, which places certain post-transfer clerks, irregularly appointed, on the same footing as other clerks in the Civil Service regularly appointed, but not on the same footing as pre-transfer telegraphic clerks. TURKEY AND GREECE-THE GREEK FRONTIER. MR. SUMMERS asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to a telegram published in the "Daily News" of the 14th instant, in which it is asserted that Turkish troops are continually arriving in Thessaly; that the Turks are throwing up fortifications near Volo Domoko and the entire length of the frontier; that Dervish Pacha is re MR. MAC IVER asked the Under Se Tunis are in accordance with European ther the recent proceedings of France in concert; or if it is true that France has, by force of arms, possessed herself of Biserta without regard to the views of any other Power; and, whether it is the case that France has practically assumed the protectorate of Tunis without friendly consultation with Her Majesty's Government, notwithstanding that there are upwards of ten thousand Maltese resihave hitherto enjoyed rights and prividents there who, as British subjects, leges which may or may not be secured to them under the new arrangements? Papers which will very shortly be pubSIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the lished will contain all the facts known to the French Expedition to Tunis, and to Her Majesty's Government relating ported to be offering terms to the Al- already expressed, that it will be the I must repeat the opinion which I have banians on condition that they prepare more convenient course to defer any to descend to Thessaly and oppose the Hellenic occupation; and that Austrian House has had the opportunity of constatement on these points until the agents in Thessaly, Epirus, and Mace-sidering the Papers. I must request donia are strenuously engaged in representing the Vlach inhabitants as protesting against the annexation to Greece of the districts belonging to them; and, whether he is able to confirm or to contradict any of these statements? the hon. Member for Portsmouth (Sir H. Drummond Wolff) to take the same answer in reference to the Question he has placed upon the Paper. SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF said, he was sorry that he could not accept that view. ENGLAND AND WALES-INCLUSION OF MONMOUTHSHIRE. SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the latest report we have received of the strength of the Turkish Army in Thessaly was dated April 12. It was then estimated at 42,600 men; but there had been a cessation of reinforcements since the end MR. HUSSEY VIVIAN asked Mr. of March. The fortifications along the Attorney General, Whether the definition frontier and the port defences at Vola" Wales" in an Act of Parliament would were stated to be complete at the same be legally held to include Monmouthdate. The last accounts of Dervish Pasha's shire? proceedings show that he had nearly sueceeded in reducing the Albanians to submission; but we have no reason to think that he had proposed to them to oppose the occupation by Greece of the territories to be ceded. With regard to the Vlachs, we have received a copy of a THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES) had no difliculty in answering the Question in the negative. The Acts of Henry VIII. created a portion of the Welsh Marches into an English county-that of Monmouthshire. Many statutes, such as the Boundary Acts following the Reform Act of 1832 | it was almost impossible, and it would and the Representation of the People be until the Warrant issues useless, to Act, 1867, had recognized Monmouth- break it up into detail. shire and the Monmouth Boroughs as being in England. He was afraid that the hon. Member must give up all hope of claiming Monmouthshire as a Welsh county. SIR ALEXANDER GORDON asked the Secretary of State for War, If he will state, as nearly as he can, the total number of Officers of the Army who will be retired, under the proposed new regulations, for compulsory retirement, on the 1st July, or on whatever date the new rules may come into operation? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, it is almost impossible to say how many officers will be retired on the 1st of July until the Warrant has appeared and officers have elected between the different courses open to them. But, as a matter of fact, the number of retirements under the new system will be in the aggregate much less than those impending under the system now in force. MAJOR NOLAN asked the Secretary of State for War, If, under the new Warrant to be issued on the 1st July, Colonels of fifty-eight years of age will be allowed to complete their service in those situations to which they have been appointed for five years, or if they will be compulsorily retired on pensions before the completion of the five years' term from the command of Depôt Centres and other equivalent positions; if the latter is the case would he inform the House what is approximately the additional expense which will be entailed on the Exchequer by such compulsory retirements, and if any compensating saving will be effected; and, what will be approximately the gross loss incurred by the officers who would be thus compulsorily retired before the completion of their five years' term? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, the Question of the hon. and gallant Gentleman is word for word the same as that he asked me three days ago, with the addition of the word approximately. My answer on Monday precisely answers his present Question. I told him that the estimate showed the aggregate change; but that The Attorney General ARMY-MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND PROJECTILES. MAJOR NOLAN asked the Secretary of State for War, If he can state what is the value of guns, carriages, and projectiles now ordered from or being manufactured by private firms on behalf of the War Department; and, if this includes all guns, &c. being manufactured by private firms for the Government ? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, the value of the guns, carriages, and projectiles now being manufactured by private firms on behalf of the War Department is a little over £46,000. I know nothing of any orders for other Departments of the Government; but if the hon. and gallant Member refers to the Admiralty, their requirements are met by the War Office, and the material at this moment in course of manufacture for them is included in the £46,000. INDIA-GOLD MINING COMPANIES. MR. ONSLOW asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to the number of Indian Gold Mining Companies whose prospectuses have been issued during the past two years; and, whether the Noble Lord or Secretary of State in Council could not issue some warning note to the public to guard them against investing their money in these highly speculative concerns, at the same time without interfering with the legitimate operation of capital? THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON : Sir, I can only say that the Report to the Government of India by Mr. B. Smith on the gold yielding capabilities of Wynaad has been made public. That contains all the information in my possession on the subject, and having made it public I think I have done all in my power to enable the public to form their own opinion as to the various schemes which have lately been presented to them. INDIA (ARMY)-CASE OF CAPTAIN CHATTERTON. MR. GRANTHAM asked the Secretary of State for India, as he has now received the promised reports from been ample justification for placing Captain Chatterton on half-pay. India on the case of Captain Chatterton, If he can tell the House whether by the report of the Medical Board, dated September 5th, 1868, signed by Surgeon Major Peskett, Surgeons Lowdell and Condon, and Assistant Surgeon Walsh at Myne Tal, Captain Chatterton was not recommended to take twelve months leave of absence for the purpose of returning to England to undergo an operation, viz., the division of the left tendon achilles, on the ground that it was not safe to perform the operation in India; whether Surgeon Major Powell, acting as garrison surgeon in Fort William, Calcutta, did not afterwards in April 1869 confirm the above recommendation on the same ground; and, whether the only report on which the Despatch of June 5th, 1869, ordering the compulsory retirement of Captain Chatterton was founded, and which practically alleged that he was shamming, was not that made in November or December 1868 ARMY ORGANIZATION-TERRITORIAL MR. ERRINGTON asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he the territorial Regiment formed from thinks it necessary to insist on calling the 67th Brigade Depôt the Prince of Wales' Royal Canadian Regiment, consisting as it does of five Regiments of Irish Militia, and of the 100th and 109th Regiments, in not one of which is there now a single Canadian; and, whether he will consider the recommendation of Colonel Stanley's Committee, that the Regiment should be called the Prince of Wales' Royal Leinster Regiment, and be made Fusiliers, if the Militia Regiments are no longer to remain Rifles? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, in reply to my by Assistant Surgeon Macdermott, who the titles of the new territorial regihon. Friend, I may say that in settling was shortly afterwards removed from the medical charge of that and other ments we are most anxious to minimize cases previously under his care; and changes, but at the same time to meet how it was that Captain Chatterton was local objections; and it is impossible to dismissed the Army in 1869 on the redeny that the title "Royal Canadian" port of an assistant surgeon, when Cap-to the past than to the present state of of a purely Irish regiment refers rather tain Chatterton was acting on the reports of very eminent surgeons made both before and after the report of the assistant surgeon? THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, it was a fact that the Medical Board, by a Report dated September 5, 1868, did recommend that Captain Chatterton should be sent to England to undergo an operation. Their Report required to be confirmed by superior authorities, and they decided that there was no occasion to send Captain Chatterton home, as the operation, being a very simple one, could be performed in India. The whole matter was carefully considered by a Court of Inquiry consisting of three combatant officers of superior rank. They took the evidence of several medical officers, and their Report was considered by the Commander-in-Chief in India and by the Government of India; and on this Report Captain Chatterton was placed on half-pay. Captain Chatterton had not been dismissed from the Army. He had 15 years of service, six and a-half of which were spent on medical leave. On these grounds alone there would have VOL. CCLXI. [THIRD SERIES.] things. We are at this moment in communication with those interested. THE MAURITIUS-A HINDOO MR. CAINE asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, If it is true, as stated in an advertisement in the "Mercantile Record and Commercial Gazette" of March 21st, published at Port Louis, Mauritius, that the Colonial Secretary had in a letter dated February 5th last, authorised the charge of a fee of two cents of a rupee on all bags of grain, cases, casks and bales of goods sold by all Hindoo Merchants for the maintenance of their church situated at the place called Pont Nicolay, Port Louis; whether he will lay a Copy of that letter upon the Table; and, whether this step has been taken with his approval; and, if not, whether he will cancel the authorisation. MR. GRANT DUFF: Sir, some time ago the Hindoos, who are numerous in Mauritius, petitioned the Lieutenant Governor of the Island for aid from the public funds for the maintenance of 2 D their religion, or if that were out of the question, for power to do as the Mahomedans did-that is, to levy a small percentage on their trading transactions for its maintenance. As the petitioners had, of course, the most absolute right to tax themselves for the maintenance of their religion without asking his or anybody's leave, the Lieutenant Governor directed them to be informed that he could not promise them any aid from the public funds; but that they were perfectly free to follow the example of the Mahomedans, and to devote to the purposes of their religion any voluntary tax or percentage upon their trading transactions which they might think proper to levy among themselves. Now that the circumstances are explained, I need hardly add that the Secretary of State for the Colonies sees no reason to interfere with the voluntary arrangement made by the Hindoos for the maintenance of their religion. MR. CAINE: Then I am to understand that it is a purely voluntary churchrate? MR. GRANT DUFF: Undoubtedly. ISLAND OF REUNION-COOLIES. MR. ERRINGTON asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the French Government has as yet communicated to the Foreign Office the long promised "decret" regulating the treatment of the oppressed Indian Coolies in the Island of La Réunion? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the decree referred to has not yet been communicated to Her Majesty's Government; but Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris is in communication with the French Government respecting it. FOREIGN JEWS IN RUSSIA-EXPULSION OF A NATURALIZED BRITISH SUBJECT. BARON HENRY DE WORMS asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, with reference to a statement that Her Majesty's Government had received no invitation from Foreign Governments to interfere in the question of the outrages committed on the Jews in Russia, it is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government not to remonstrate in cases of oppression of Jews in Foreign Countries, except on receiving an invitation from another Mr. Grant Duff power to do so; and, whether it is not the fact that since the year 1869 representations have been repeatedly made by Her Majesty's Government, without waiting for such invitation, on behalf of oppressed Jews in Roumania, Servia, Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli, and Persia? SIR CHARLES W.DILKE: Sir, the principal consideration which would regulate the action of Her Majesty's Government would be that of whether interference on their part would be likely to be efficacious; and, in answer to the next Question, I fear that I may have to show that it is not probable that that would be the case in the present instance. BARON HENRY DE WORMS asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What is the Russian Law which, as stated by him in the House on Monday last, forbids Foreign Jews to remain in St. Petersburg; whether he will obtain a copy of such Law through Her Majesty's Ambassador in the Russian capital, and lay it upon the Table of the House; if such Law is enforced by the Russian Government, whether he can explain why the Russian Consul General in London viséd the passport of Mr. faith; and, whether public notice will Lewisohn, a British subject of the Jewish be given in the "London Gazette" that Jews who are British subjects of Her Majesty are not allowed to visit or remain in the Russian Empire, but are liable to be expelled at a day's notice, vided with a duly viséd British passport? by the Russian Police, even when pro SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the laws referred to are couched in the following terms: "Jews who come to Russia on business can remain for one year in those places where Jews are allowed to settle." Then here follows a long list of the governments in which they may settle, one of which is St. Petersburg : "Jews who are foreign subjects arriving in Russia from abroad, who have come on business or for the purpose of extending their business transactions, are allowed to carry on business and to open banks in Russia, provided they obtain a special permission to trade as members of the first guild, issued by the Ministers of Finance, of the Interior, and of Foreign Affairs, to be specially applied for in each case." Combined complaints have been addressed by the Governments of Germany, Austria, and the United States, as well as by Her Majesty's Government in Mr. |