Etkatts not Vrarratnip to Varltnuant. PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

Menem OF Loans. Monday, February 14. The Right of Search ; Question by Lord Wodehouse. Tuesday, February 15. Shipping interest; Lord Stanley of Alderley's Question

- Cuban Slave Trade ; Lord Brougham's Statement. Thursday, February 17. The Ionian Islands ; Lord Grey's Question and Notice - Law of Property and Trustees Relief Amendment Bill read a third time and passed. Friday, Feb. 18. No business of importance.

HOUSE or Commons. .1fonday, February 14. Case of Mr. Higgins ; Mr. Clive's Question-Highway s ; Mr. Hardy's Bill read a second tune-Indian Finance; Lord Stanley's Statement. Tuesday, February 15. Case of Mr. Higgins; Mr. Disraeli's Statement-Lu- natics ; Mr. Walpole's Statement-Bankruptcy and Insolvency ; Lord John Rus- sell's Bill read a first time-House counted out. Wednesday, February 16. Marriage Law Amendment ; Lord Bury's Bill read a secowl time-Baron Meyer de Rothschild takes his seat. Tlitirsitay, February 17. Real Estate Intestacy; Mr. Locke Ring's Bill read a first time-New..papers, &c.; Mr. Ayrton's Bill read a first time-Education (Scot- land) ; Lord !deigned's Motion-Marriage Law Amendment; Lord Bury's Bill committed.

Friday, February 18. Foreign Office; Sir Bcujsmin Hall's Question-East India Loan; Committee-Superannuation Bill read a second time.

INDIAN FINANCE.

Lord STANLEY, on Monday, bespoke the indulgence and forbearance of the House of Commons while he gave a clear and full explanation of the financial state and prospects of India. This explanation occupies a whole page of the leading ]ournal, and is very full of information.

In 1856-'7, the year before the mutiny, the revenue amounted to 33,303,0001., the expenditure, including 2,400,000/. for "public works," to 33,482,0001., leaving an apparent deficiency of 179,0001.-apparent because one half the sum expended on public works was reproductively invested. The income and expenditure was, therefore, nearly in equilibrium, since in 1843-54, 1854-5, to 1855-6, the deficits were respectively 2,100,0001., 1,700,0001., and 1,000,0001 , while during these years there had been an outlay of 2,000,000/. on public works. But in 1857-8, the revenue fell to 31,544,000e, the expenditure rose to 39,120,000/. in India, plus 1,500,0001.for troops and stores in England ; in 1858-9, the revenue rose to 33,016,0001., the expenditure to 45,629,000/. • leaving a total deficiency on the two years of 21,000,0001. Instead of 4,000,0001. the outlay on public works was only 3,000,0001. during those two years. In these calculations all estimate of compensation for damages done during the mutiny is omitted, the principle on which compensation will be granted not having yet been determined. The funds derived from forfeited land mld pensions will go far to meet rea- sonable claims.

AA raps& the sources of revenue, The sum derived from land has grown with tare gwwah of our possessions. In-I856-Tit yielded 19,080,0001. - fell to 16,671,000/. in 1857-8 and rose spin to 18,592,0001. in 1858-9. This item is of slow growth. It can only increase, where there are permanent settlements, from the cultivation of new lands, and is therefore com- paratively inelastic. Another source of increase is additions of territory, of which " we may hope there will be no more just at present." The increase from the cultivation of waste lands is a probable source of great wealth, but no prudent financier would calculate upon making It available in a short time. Next to land revenue, which yields 60. per cent, is opium, which yields 20 per cent. This source varies with the crop, and the demand of the market. In 1857, the opium re- venue was 4,696,709/. ; in 1857-8, it wee to 6,443,7061. ; and in 1858-9 fell to 5,195,1911. Objections have been raised to opium as a source of revenue, but there is no plea for the prohibition of opium culture that might not be equally urged in favour of the Maine Law in England. As regards the monopoly, the Government are considering whether they can substitute- an excise. The other sources of revenue are salt, 4,398,9601. in 1857-8, and a variety of miscellaneous items yielding in round numbers about 3,000,000/. These facts show that increased prosperity in India does not produce the same results upon revenue as it does m England. Under native govern- ments taxes were levied upon almost every action of a man's life and all classes paid more equally than at present, when,r,excepting the salt duty and a few customs duties, the mercantile classes pay no taxes. Now it DI more difficult to impose a new tax on India than on England ; the Home Govern- ment have, therefore, not given special directions to the Indian Govern- ment in this matter, but have suggested the subject for mature eonsidera- tion, and have expressed an anxious desire that no unnecessary check shall- be placed on works of public improvement. Diminished outlay is the only present resource we can look to. The deficiency of 21,500,0001. is wholly due to military expenses arising out of the mutiny. Those expenses have risen from 11,546,0001. in 1856-'7 to 18,212,0001. in 1857-'8, and 22,598,0001. in 1858-'9. Our expenditure may be diminished by employing uncove- nanted servants and substituting cheap. Native for comparatively. costly European agency. The salaries of the civil servants may bear revision, but hardly reduction, seeing that the rates of remuneration are relatively as great in the service of the railway companies, for example, as in the Go- vernment service. But when peace is restored, the policy of annexation being abandoned, railways being developed, our latest acquisitions becoming more settled, we shall not require a larger force in India than we had be- fore the disturbances. At present the European force in India (91,690) is nearly double what it was in 1857, and the Native force (243,956) exceeds that of 1857 by 11,732. The next subject is the Indian debt. Compared with the revenue there has been little increase in the debt since 1800. Then the debt was 16,600,0004 and the revenue was 9,200,000/., now the debt is 74,500,0001., the revenue 33,000,000/. This sum is held by Natives in the proportion of two-fifths, by Europeans in the proportion of three-fifths. The amount raised by loan since the mutiny broke out, is 19,814,0001. It is worth notice that whereas in 1800 the interest paid was 821 per cent, it is now on an average only 4.1 per cent. When we consider this the whole of this debt has been incurred. in a constant series of wars the wonder is that it is not larger. Hitherto, this debt has been held to be a charge only on the Indian Exchequer; the Go- vernment will recommend no change of policy Lbut looking to the fact that more than 50,000,000/. has been contributed by English capitalists it is worth considering how far England could repudiate the debt without shaking her credit. It must be remembered that India now pays more for interest than she would pay if she had the assistance of England. It is matter of doubt whether practically we are free from responsibility.

With regard to the future there is in India material for prosperity. Her imports have more than doubled, her exports have nearly doubled within the last twenty years ; the tonnage entering and leaving her ports has also nearly doubled ; the export of cotton has augmented from 352,000,000 pounds in 1842, to 863,000,000 pounds in 1857. The trade of Calcutta has in- creased one half, the trade of Bombay has doubled in five years. In three years there will be 3100 miles of railway in operation ; irrigation works are in progress in Madras, harbour works at Calcutta and Kurrachee • an elec- tric telegraph will stretch as far towards India as Aden by next June. In order to facilitate railway enterprise the Government will appoint by com- petition a special engineering service for India. Experience has shown that some public works return profits so enormous that they not only cover their own coat but repay the expenses of the less successful.

Lord Stanley touched on the land tenure, and intimated that Government lands would be opened to European colonization on the principle of selling soil absolute ownership in the ii-a boon long demanded by Europeans ; while it is proposed that Native Zeniindars may also acquire, by paying a commutation of the land tax, the fee simple of the land free of future charge. The sums thus obtained for laud are to be applied to the extinc- tion of debt. In connection with the land tenures are the " enatu" com- missions of inquiry. The operation of these has been much misrepresented. The object is not to disturb titles but to confirm them, to give what in this country is called a Parliamentary title, but at the same time to detect frauds. Precautions will be taken to prevent these proceedings from being harsh to individuals.

At the close of his speech, Lord Stanley showed that there is a defi- ciency of 5,377,8191. in the disbursements in England on account of India; and as we cannot draw on the Government in India, uow in need of all the funds it can command, he asked the House to sanction a loan of 7,000,000/., to be raised on bonds or debentures secured on the revenues of India.

The House listened with great attention to this long statement. It was originally intended that the House should go into Committee to consider resolutions on Tuesday ; but at the suggestion of Mr. ArNrear, supported by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, the House agreed to go into Commit- tee on Friday.

THE MARRIAGE Lew.

The Wednesday's sitting was given up to the discussion of the princi- ple of Lord Bury's Marriage Law Amendment Bill on the motion for the second reading. Mr. BERESFORD Hera, avoiding ecclesiastical ar- guments, and confining himself to denouncing the bill as the fruit of got-up agitation, and as a "brand of discord" flung upon every domes- tic hearth, moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months.

Mr. EDWIN BALL, Mr. BUXTON, Mr. Amio-rn, and General Team-- soN spoke in favour of the bill, while on the other side were Mr. HENRY

DRUMMOND, and Mr. STUART.E Mr. 'ThirMIIOND characterized the bill as the " progress of Liberalism," and accused its promoters of asking the House to permit incest.

The weight of the discussion, however, fell on three men-Sir George Lewis, Mr. Walpole, and Lord John Russell. Sir GEORGE LEWIS pointed out that marriage with a deceased wife's sister is permitted by law in all Protestant countries, except Great Bri- tain, and that in all Roman Catholic countries it is permitted by dispensa- tion. Before Lord Lyndhurst's act passed these marriages among us were not void but voidable. But unfortunately the act of 1836 altered the law and declared these marriages void.

" That introduced a state of the law which I venture to affirm does not exist in any other country in Christendom, and therefore I would submit to the consideration of gentlemen who are carrying on opposition to this bill whether they think that, looking to the great anxiety which exists for a change, they can prevent this question being agitated, and induce the country to acquiesce in a state of the law which I maintain does not exist in any other country, and did not exist in this country up to the year 183,5." (Cheers.)

Mr. WALPOLE took up the challenge of Sir George Lewis. To make the bill agree with the laws of the Protestant countries it should legalize marriage with a niece.

" The man at the time of his marriage is entitled to say—' When I marry you your mother becomes my mother, your daughter my daughter, your aunt my aunt, your nice my niece, and your sister my sister.' The woman, who, remember, is not represented here, and for whom you are making an altera- tion in the law which almost the whole sex repudiate, is as much entitled to say—' By my marriage with you your father is my father, your son is my son, your uncle is my uncle, your nephew is my nephew, and your brother is my brother.' You cannot shake me from the logical inference from this reasoning, unless, when you ask me to say that on behalf of one of the sexes I will break through this line in one instance, and one instance only, viz., in favour of a man when he marries his wife's sister, you are prepared to say that the woman also shall be allowed to marry her husband's brother. But we will tell you, and we do tell you, that by the law of God those mar- riages are incestuous. . . . I have adverted to ten cases of relationship, in no one of which is there any blood connection ; you tell us that in one ease only will you relax the law, and now I ask you, what are you going to do with the other nine ?" (Cheers.) Under the Divorce Act a wife can ob- tain a divorce in eases of incest. The bill will tempt men to commit that crime to obtain a divorce • for the canon law regards intercourse with a wife's sister as incestuous. 'Consider, then, the dreadful position in which Lord Bury would place England.

Lord Joan Russets said he had satisfied himself that there is no re- ligious prohibition to these marriages. One part of Lord Lyndhurst's act confirmed, marriages with a deceased wife's sister which had pre- viously taken place.

" That act was agreed to, as I believe, both by the spiritual and the tem- poral peers of the House of Lords, and there are now members of that House —Peers of Parliament—who have their seats in the House of Lords by vir- tue of that act. (Cheers.) I do not say that it would, but this might have happened under the then existing state of the law,—that those marriages being voidable, suits might have been instituted in the Ecclesiastical Courts, they might have been set aside, and those who were confirmed in their pos- sessions, titles, peerages, by that set of Parliament might have been de- prived of those advantages. (Cheers.) But, now, Sir, will any man say that the House of Lords would have sent to us at that time—or that we would have agreed to it if they had—a bill which confirmed incestuova marriages? (Cheers.) g that there had been some five or six marnagesswith persons really sisters in blood, so that they were unques- tionably. incestuous, would the House of Lords ever have sent down to us a bill confirming those marriages ? I think no man can say that Binh would have been the case."

Lord John felt all the difficulties of the case and the weakening of the ties of relationship involved in the change, but he regarded the evils of the present law, especially as they affect women, as much greater than the evils to be apprehended from the change. But he did not see how we can stop short where we are. "In voting, therefore, for the second reading of this bill I should consider the change of the law utterly imperfect unless you further alter it so as to make it equally applicable to both sexes, and to all the degrees of relationship which are not blood relationships."

Mr. WALTER put in a personal appeal for himself. It had been said that it would be impossible for a widower to receive into his family the sister cf his deceased wife as the protector of his children without mak- ing to her an offer of marriage. Mr. Walter stood there to give a prac- tical refutation in his own person to that opinion. For many months past it had been his lot, in a period of great affliction to enjoy the bene• fit of that very arrangement which the gallant General condemned, but which this bill would tend utterly to destroy.

The debate was closed by a brief, but well-pointed reply from Lord BURY, in which he ridiculed his opponents as driven for refuge to the canon law—a law deemed obligatory as often as those who advocate it think it binding.

On a division, the second reading was carried by a majority of 135 to 77.

The bill went through Committee on Thursday, and was ordered to be reported without amendments.

BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL introduced and explained, on Tuesday, a bill to amend and consolidate the laws relating to bankruptcy and insolvency. This bill arose out of the discussions at the meeting of the Social Science Association. The bill was prepared, placed in the hands of Lord John, and introduced last year, but too late to be considered. The first grievance with which the bill deals is the expense of proceedings. At present 30 per cent, and sometimes more, of the assets are consumed in the expenses of the court, while in Scotland all the business is done at a cost of 12 per cent. To remedy this Lord John proposes that the creditors should place the bankrupt's estate either in the hands of an official assignee or an assignee of their own choosing. He dispenses with both broker and messenger, giving the assignees power to employ persons to have the cus- tody of the property. Compensation for abolished offices, and the cost of maintaining the Bankruptcy Court to fall on the Consolidated Fund. Next the distinction between trader and non-trader debtors is abolished. In order to bring justice nearer to every man jurisdiction is given to County Courts to deal with bankrupts and insolvents in all cases where %majority of credit- era in number and value are in favour of carrying a case into a county court. With regard to voluntary settlements it is proposed that it shall be lawful to settle a case out of court whenever a majority of creditors in number and of four-fifths in value agree to a private arrangement. Great complaint is made of the uncertainty of the punishment of fraud. Wherever a prima facie case of fraud is made out means shall be taken to send that case before a jury. The difference between certificates will be abolished, and the Court will have only power to give or refuse a certificate. The bill consolidates into one statute the whole of the law relating to its subject. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL raised several objections to the measure. It is doubtful whether the appointment of a sole assignee by the credi- tors will diminish expense. It would be better to give County Courts coordinate jurisdiction to a not large amount, than simply to give them jurisdiction without limit. The liquidation clauses are wholly inade- quate. The clauses relating to punishment of fraud are open to great objection. Mr. HEADLAM spoke with approval of the bill ; but Mr. Morear expressed himself as strongly opposed to many of its provisions.

The bill was read a first time.

THE LUNACY Laws.

Mr. Trra moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the operation of the laws relating to the management and care of lunatics.

This gave Mr. WALPOLE an opportunity, which ho took, to state the course the Government will pursue. There are 22,310 lunatics in Eng- land, of whom 17,572 are paupers. The remainder, 2508 males and 2230 females, are confined in private asylums. This is exclusive of cri- minal lunatics. Of these only a small proportion are curable. In deal- ing with the subject, Mr. Walpole proposed to accede to Mr. Tite's mo- tion, slightly amended to make the inquiry specific, and to refer two bills he has prepared to that Committee. In the bill relating to private asylums, it is provided that twenty-four hours' notice shall be given to the Commissioners whenever a person is confined as a lunatic. There are to be local medical examiners appointed by the justices to examine and report specially on each case. Then the Commissioners may report on the case, or call for further explanations. The Commissioners will have power to report on plans for licensed houses, and in additions to the four annual inspections they will have to mako three visits to each house, with power to call for accounts to see that the allowance made to patients is properly applied. Finally, provision is made to prevent the confinement of any one a single day after cure, and power is given to allow patients to be out on trial. Mr. Ten assented to the course proposed by Mr. Walpole, and the

motion as amended was agreed to. '

THE IoNissr IMBROGLIO.

Earl GREY inquired on Thursday whether the-newspaper account of Mr. Gladstone's Ionian proposals is authentic ; whether they are sanc- tioned by her Majesty; and whether the Government would produce the correspondence on the subject ? The Earl of Can:eau-vox said that t.he proposals, as published, are authentic ; that the Government has sanc- tioned them • but that it declines to publish the correspondence until the Ionian Assembly has accepted or rejected Mr. Gladstone's plan. Lord GREY said he should not press for the papers, but should move, on Monday for their production, in order that the subject may be dis- cussed.

The Earl of DERBY said a discussion would be highly impolitic. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH mentioned several important questions on which he desired information. Lord DERBY did not comment upon them, but repeated his objection to any discussion. Lord ELLENBOROUGH remarked, that Mr. Gladstone demanded assent to or rejection of his plan "en bloc." Lord DERBY rejoined that the Assembly might suggest modifications, Lord ELLENBOROUGH read these passages from Mr. Gladstone's speech where he distinctly states that certain portions of his plan are essentiak and that "any vote impairing these would.be fataA.4es the whole plan.;. This ended the conversation.

THE RIGHT OF VISIT.

There was a short debate in the House of Lords on Monday, upon the right of search or visit, and the concessions alleged to have been made by the Government to the United States. It arose out of a question put by Lord WODEHOUSE, who asked whether the Government would produce the recent correspondence on the subject between England and the United States. In his prefatory remarks Lord Wodohouse referred to the portion of the despatches already published, especially the description given by Mr. Dallas, of the rapid change of opinion by Lord Malmes- bury. But he could not understand, how a right of search, which was either a belligerent or a treaty right could have been abandoned. The ve- rification of the right of a merchant vessel to a particular flag is a dif-

ferent question.

F.a The I of MALMESBURY said he would produce the correspondence.

The apparent celerity of his change of opinion in the eyes of Mr. Dallas arose from the fact, that while awaiting the report of the law officers of the Crown he had given Mr. Dallas an evasive answer ; when he got the opinion he had no difficulty in replying. Having traced the history of the right of search, and shown that General Cass did not deprecate the right of search under all circumstances, Lord Malmesbury explained that he had invited France to join the British Government in drawing up an identical code of instructions for the naval officers of both countries, which should be their rule of conduct. That code has been drawn up and submitted to the American Government with an invitation to join us in its adoption.

Although it might seem that he had surrendered a right, yet' he 'thought " the time was come when it was better to place entire confidence in the proper feeling of the American people than to prolong an agitation which, in point of fact, rendered them indisposed to aid ns in our endeavours to put down the slave-trade. The best iproof, my lords, that I was not mis- taken as to the wisdom of that policy is to be found in the spirit which has since been evinced by the American Government both in its language and its acts. From that Government I have received the strongest assurances that it will use its beat efforts to put down the slave-trade with American ships." The American Government has "officiously" proposed that it shall be allowed to modify the treaty whereby it maintains ships of war on the African coast, so that instead of two forty-gun frigates, it may keep ten steam gun-boats on that coast, a force more effectual than two sailing fri- gates. General Cass has strongly condemned the desecration of the Ame- rican flag by slavers. The American Government will send more war ships to Cuba to suppress the slave traffic.

The Earl of Cratnnerfox vindicated the exercise of the right of search, so far as the verification of nationality is concerned, as carried out under the instructions of Lord Aberdeen. If under the altered arrangements there was to be no inquiry into the nationality of a ship, there is an end of precautionary measures.

Lord MALMESBURY said the instructions give the right of challenging only. " I do not give up the right, which, on the contrary, is a well-established right ; but at the same time we have thought it desirable to fix the respon- sibility upcnt the officers exercising it." Lord CLantarooar said that Mt all events we must have the same set of regulations for all nations, the weak as well as the powerful. He be- lieved the American Government honestly desire to put down the slime-

trade, and he hoped the new regulations would be successful, but to be successful they must be adopted by other powers than France and Eng- land.

The Earl of ABERDEEN contended that everything it was possible for the Americans to demand or for us to grant was granted twenty years ago. It is impossible that we can abandon the right to ascertain the genuineness of the flag of a suspected vessel. The Earl of CAntisLE took the same view. The Earl of DERBY explained that the only obiect of the Government was to come to a distinct understanding with France and America for the purpose of avoiding differences arising out of visits paid by cruisers. No right has been abandoned. Lord BROUGHAM seemed to concur in the policy of adopting identical instructions; but no distinction must be made between one country and another.

THE CUBAN SLAVE-TRADE.

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from coloured persons in Ja- maica against the continuance of the slave-trade with Cuba. Though the Spanish Government is bound to discontinue the slave-trade, and has declared it to be unlawful, the observance of the law depends upon the character of the Captains-General. One of them, it is said, amassed 90,0001. or 100,0001. by the slave-trade. These are the persons most in- terested in upholding it. Now the Spanish Government ought to be made distinctly to understand that we have in our hands the means of effectually putting down the slave-trade, and of effectually and substan- tially relieving our own subjects and part of theirs, by refusing to admit their slave-grown sugar upon the same terms as our free-grown sugar. A suggestion of that kind would not, he conceived, be thrown away. As regards immigration, Lord Brougham suggested an inquiry into the subject by a Committee of that House.

THE SHIPPING INTEREST.

Lord STA.' "; of Alderley, in asking whether the Government in- tended t rry into effect the pledge they gave in 1862 to introduce a b r the relief of the shipping interest from passing tolls and other

burdens, intimated that Ministers had given encouragement to the ship- ping agitation of the winter, and led to demands that we should retrace our steps towards a reenactment of the old navigation laws.

The Earl of DONOUGHMORE said that no pledge was given in 1852. The Government have carefully considered the subject, but the difficulties are so great that they cannot hope within any specific time to deal with the subject in a satisfactory manner.

• ADMISSION OF THE JEWS.

In the midst of the debate on the second reading of Lord Bury's bill Baron Meyer de Rothschild was introduced by Lord John Russell and Mr. I. A. Smith, as Member for Hythe. As he refused to take the usual oath, he vent, as directed, below the bar. Then Mr. J. A. SMITH moved and Lord JOHN RUSSELL seconded a resolution pointing out the ground on which Baron Meyer de Rothschild was entitled to sit. Mr. NEWDE.• GATE objected, on the ground that the House was taken by surprise, and challenged the Speaker to say whether notice should not have been given, and whether the resolution would be perpetual, like a standing order, or only sessional. The SPEAKER said no notice was required, and that the order would only be in force during the session. The resolution was adopted, and also a second giving any person of the Jewish religion permission to omit from the oath the words '" en the true faith of a Christian."

Baron Meyer de Rothschild then took the oath and his seat.

HIGHWAYS. Mr. Hardy's bill to regulate the management of Highways has been read a second time. Its principal feature is, that it directs pa- rishes to form districts and appoint paid surveyors. ll'he roads are now managed by some 17,400 persons called surveyors; under the bill it is cal- culated that 600 persons will do effectually what the 17,400 do ineffectu- ally. It was Sir Robert Peel who in 1850 suggested that the ratepayers should be permitted to manage the roads in the best manner and at the least expense.

REAL ESTATE INTESTACY. Mr. LOCKE KING reintroduced on Thurs- day, his bill to provide a better settling of the real estates of intestates. This measure proposes that where the owner of real estate dies intestate, his property shall be divided instead of going to his eldest son. The Somerron- GENERAL said the bill suggested scores of objections. One was that in effect it prevents the predisposition of property. At present a man knows, if he dies intestate, that his freehold estate will go to his eldest son, under the bill he must make a will to secure that object. The subject is not so simple as Mr. King seems to think. The bill was read a first time.

RESTRICTIONS ON THE PRESS. Mr. AYRTON brought in a bill to abolish a host of restrictions on the liberty of the press, which still find a place in old statutes, interfere with trade, and vex honest men. The SOLICITOR- GENERAL said, that some of those enactments might now safely be said to be obsolete, while in regard to others, considering the date of their origin, the term obsolete could not be justly applied to them. He did not oppose the introduction of the bill. When it had been brought in, they would see more precisely the particular enactments to which it would apply. Several of those to which Mr. Ayrton had referred it is desirable either wholly to repeal or greatly to modify. Others it might be expedient. on the other hand, to retain. The bill was read a first time.

Semen EDUCATION. Lord MELOUND moved that the annual vote for education should be divided into two, one for England, the other for Scot- land. His object was to obtain more minute information, and a better op- portunity for discussing Scotch educational questions. Mr. ADDERLEY and several Scotch Members objected to the motion on the ground that the system is the same foe both countries, and that it would be dangerous to create a diversity of system. Motion withdrawn.

PUBLIC MONEYS. In reply to a question from Sir Flux= BARING, Mr. DISRAELI said the measures recommended by the Committee on Public Moneys will require Legislation. He will introduce three bills—one for an independent audit—the main object being to establish an identical mode of keeping the public accounts in all the offices. These bills are in an ad- vanced stage.

NEW MASTERS IN LUNACY. Mr. Curvs, without giving notice, com- plained of a recent appointment by the Lord Chancellor. It is proposed to bestow the office of Master in Lunacy upon Mr. William Francis Higgins, a son-in-law of the Lord Chancellor, an agreeable gentleman in private life, but having no legal experience whatever. Mr. Clive received a severe re- buke from Mr. DISRAELI for bringing on matters without giving even pri- vate notice, but he obtained no explanation.

When Mr. Cr.ws renewed his question on Tuesday, Mr. DISRAELI said that Mr. Higgins has spontaneously resigned the office the moment he heard what had happened in the House of Commons. Mr. Higgins took that step solely because he thought he could not consistently with his feel- ings hold the office after what had taken place. The Lord Chancellor was thoroughly convinced of the competency of Mr. Higgins.