Ethutrs ant rurrriug inVarlintrut.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

llocsa or Loans. No sittings.

Housa or CommoNs. Thursday, May 19. Excise-duties on Spirits Bill, read a second time—Customs-duties on Spirits Bill, committed—Supply ; Civil Estimates voted—Hackney Carriages Bill, committed pro forma—Government of India; Lord John Russell's Announcement—New Writ for Clitheroe.

Friday, May 20. Income-tax Bill, read a second time—Supply ; Civil Service Estimates—Pegue, China ; Questions and Answers—Hackney Carriages Bill, com- mitted—Lunacy Bills, read a second time.

TIME

The Lords. The Commons.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

No sittings. Thursday 41, .(m)lh 15m Friday 41, .(m) 211 30m Sittings this Week, 2; Time. 19h 45m

— this Session, 92; — 598k Mim SUPPLY.

The principal business of the House of Commons, when it reassembled on Thursday, consisted in voting the Estimates for the Civil Service, in Committee of Supply.

On the vote of 62,736/. for the maintenance and repair of the Royal Parks and Pleasure-grounds, a variety of questions arose ; to which Sir "WiTaYslii MOLESWORTH replied with brevity and readiness. He had him- self ordered Kew Gardens to be opened on Sundays : he objected to opening a carriage-road from Victoria Gate to Albert Gate in Hyde Park, as that would render it necessary to have the Park open all night ; and he also objected to making a new ride : with respect to Battersea Park, Mr. Cubitt had offered to take the land off the hands of Government, but the offer has not been accepted.

On the vote of 14.5,7741. for "the expenses of works on the new Houses of Parliament," complaints were raised as to the lack of control over the expenditure and the ventilation. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH and Mr. JAMES WILSON explained, that the expenditure is in the hands of Sir Charles Barry, checked by the Treasury ; but hitherto there has been but little control. Sir William did not find the ventilation so very bad as was said" ; and he hoped the House would give Mr. Meeson a fair trial for a year.

On the vote of 45,000/. for public buildings in Ireland, Mr. SPOONER moved a reduction of the amount by 1235/. 13s. for repairing and main- taining the College of Maynooth. Mr. WILLIAM WILLIAMS moved an amendment, to include several other small sums for ecclesiastical pur- poses in Mr. Spooner's motion. The Committee divided; and Mr. Wil- liams's amendment was negatived by 80 to 43. Shortly afterwards the Committee again divided, and Mr. Spooner's amendment was carried by 74 to 54. The vote so reduced was agreed to.

Mr. WuziAms divided the Committee against the vote of 3368/. for defraying a portion of the expense of the English Ecclesiastical Commis- sioners; but his motion was negatived by 63 to 44. On the vote of 64241. 78. 5d., for defraying the expenses of the house- hold of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, Mr. WILLIAMS again divided the Committee ; moving to strike out the items of 184/. 12s. the salary of the Lord-Lieutenant's chaplain, and of 1574/. 68. 2d for fifteen Queen's plates to be run for in Ireland : his motion was negatived by 92 to 31.

On the vote of 407,667/. for Government prisons and convict establish- ments, Mr. LtreAs moved that the Chairman report progress : he could not go on at that hour of the night. [It was eleven o'clock.] The vote included a sum for chaplains, but no provision was made for Roman Ca- tholic prisoners. Lord JOHN Russia's. and Mr. VERNON &ran objected to reporting progress : the latter suggested the postponement of the vote. Agreed to.

On the vote of 2006/. for salaries of Professors at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in reply to Mr. BiAckErr, Lord JOHN RUSSELL explained that he would rather not fix any particular term for the mea- sures which Government might introduce if the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge should not take advantage of the facilities to reform themselves; but he should hold Government free to proceed after the present session.

The vote of 2750/. for Theological Professors at Belfast was opposed by Mr. MIALL but carried, on a division by 130 to 21.

The other votes were agreed to without any division.

Again in Committee, last night, another portion of the items in the Civil Estimates were discussed and agreed to.

On the votes for the civil service of our various foreign stations, in- cluding salaries for chaplains, a good deal of discussion was raised throughout, by Mr. LUCAS, Mr. WILLIAms, Mr. Mutt, Mr. PraaArr, and others. The successful amendment on the Maynooth grant was fre- quently cited as a provocative : Mr. Luxes rose repeatedly to point out the payment for same Colonial or Ambassadorial chaplain ; and several of the Radicals expressed themselves as bound to apply the precedent to Protestant grants.

On the vote of 47501. for the Falkland Islands, Sir Join' SHELLEY moved to strike out 4001., the salary of the chaplain : but the Committee rejected the motion by 86 to $3. On the vote of 92001. for Hongkong, Lord Joini Resszrz admitted that no provision was made for the spiritual wants of the Roman Catholic soldiers there ; whereupon Mr. MAGUIRE moved that the vote be re- duced by 7001., the salary of the Protestant chaplain.—Amendment re- jected by 76 to 32. On the vote of 148,0331. for Consular establishments, Captain Seonzrz moved that the salary of the Superintendent of Trade at Hongkong should be reduced by 15001. There was some debate on this—Lord PALMER- now defending the vote; and on a dividon, the amendment was nega- tived by 70 to 46. On the vote of 38,492/. for Nonconforming, Seceding, and Protestant Dissenting ministers in Ireland, Sir Ionic SHELLEY moved that the vote be expunged. The amendment was supported by Mr. BRIGHT; who described the dodges and tricks adopted in Northern Ireland to get up chapels, by .persons desirous of participating in the benefits of this grant ; and he declared that it was only intended to muzzle the Presbyterians and prevent them from raising a howl against the enormous injustice of the Established Church in that country. He hoped the Irish Regium Donum would soon follow the smaller one of England. To this "offensive and insulting" charge against the Presbyterians Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON replied with indigna- tion; assuring Mr. Bright, that "if he could obtain access to respectable society in Ireland," he would find that the Presbyterian clergy are neither to be bought nor muzzled. Subsequently, Mr. COBDEN remarked, that as Lord Claude was in that state of excitement in which he so often finds himself when addressing the House, and which naturally leads to words of indiscretion, he was not to be held responsible for his unparliamentary language. Mr. Cobden proceeded to point out the impracticability of continuing to vote in one sense for one million of people and in another for five millions : for himself, although not bred to Voluntaryism—for his mother took him to the Church, and most of us go where our mothers take us—the proceedings of the House would force him to escape from rendering it the arena of sectarianism by opposing all religious endowments whatsoever. Lord Joins Russins, sought to counterbalance this view by defending endowments for various sects, as a tribute to feeling, calculated to maintain respect and regard for the government of the state. At the same time, he advised the Anti-Maynooth party to note the consequences of their conduct. Sir Joust YOUNG argued against depriving the frugal Presbyterians of a valuable aid. Remarks from Sir WILLiest CLAY against the grant because of the Maynooth precedent, and of Mr. SPOONER for it, although he would not sanction grants "against the Word of God "—a few Irish Members speaking on both sides—exemplify the character of the debate. The amendment was negatived by 181 to 46. The grant passed, and the House resumed.

Tex INOOMB-TAX BILL.

On the order for reading the Income-tax Bill a second time, Mr. DIS- RAELI declined any opposition to the bill at that stage; but reserved the right to bring forward amendments in Committee, and to divide on the third reading. The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed for Monday. In explanation, under pressure from Mr. Dis- raeli for postponement on behalf of absent Irish Members, Mr. GLAD- STONE adhered to his former statement, that he must carry the Income- tax Bill through Committee before proceeding with the Customs resolu- tions; which he would take on any evening, at any time after the Com- mittee on the Income-tax Bill. After that, he would take the Spirit- duties Bill.

Govnessitatsx OP INDIA.

Before the House went into Supply on Thursday, Lord Jonst RussELL announced, that on Friday the 3d of June, the President of the Board of Control would state the views of the Cabinet with respect to the Government of India.

Mr. Rim availed himself of that opportunity to plead for time to in- vestigate the question more maturely ; as the Committee had only re- ported the evidence on one of the beads of the inquiry ; and as yet they had no information as to how the people of India are governed, nor with regard to the naval and military armaments, the judicial administration, the finances, and public works.

Sir CHARLES WOOD declined to discuss these questions at present, but said he would be quite ready to do so on the day mentioned by Lord John Russell. For many reasons, which he would not then mention, it is de- sirable that Parliament should legislate during the present session.

ANNEXATION OF PERIM.

Last night, Mr. COBDEN put two questions to Sir Charles Wood re- specting the annexation of Pegue; alleging as a reason, that the papers before the House did not sufficiently inform him, and describing him- self as urged by a desire to point out the anomalous position in which this country is placed by the present most extraordinary Government of India. We have annexed a large territory of barbarians, who would thus have the rights of Englishmen, and we shall be responsible for their protection; and this has been done, although the extension of our terri- tory in the East has again and again been pronoimced to be an eviL Mr. Cobden asked these questions—

"First, was the province of Pegue annexed to the British territory by the Governor-General m Council without any previous instruction from home ; and if so, by what law had he the power to extend our Eastern possessions ? Second, if the Governor-General acted in compliance with instructions from the home Government, was there in existence any despatch defining the boundaries of the newly-acquired territory ? "

Sir CHARLES WOOD deprecated the raising of discussions upon ques- tions, and said he would confine himself to simply answering them. To the first he replied, that Pegue was not annexed without instructions from home; as Mr. Cobden would find in the Further Papers relating to Bur- mah, p. 46; and again, at p. 53, he would see a despatch from the Secret Committee which conveyed the authority of the Government. This had been approved of in December. To the second question he answered, that the precise boundaries had not been properly pointed out, but the Go- vernor-General had been instructed to lay down a broad line of demarca- tion from Burmah.

In reply to further questions from Mr. Gnisow and Mr. BRIGHT—the latter rating Sir Charles for lecturing Mr. Cobden—Sir CHARLES Woo]) said that he believed the province would pay its own expenses ; that no more territory was to be annexed—it was not to go in fact, beyond Prome and the valley of the Irrawaddy, which is exceedingly fertile."

• TH3 CHINESE REBELLION.

In reply to Lord JOCELYN, Lord JOHN RUSSELL stated that orders have been given to provide adequate protection for British subjects and pro- perty in China, but that there should be no interference in the civil war now carried on ; that Sir George Bonham had gone to Shanghae ; and that the existing means of protection would be sufficient.

II-ACE-REY CA.E.R1AOES BILL.

Considerable opposition was raised to the motion for going into Com- mittee on this bill. Sir ROBERT Nous called the attention of the House to the amount of property involved, not less than 2,500,0001. He complained that the bill violated the principles of free-trade in fixing a maximum price ; and that it gives the Magistrate =tithe Police arbitrary powers. Sir Richard Mayne has not time to attend even to the grammar oftheorderahoputhflrth, and he ought not to be intrusted with such absolute control over property as has been given by this bill. Sir Robert moved that the bill be referred to a Select Committee. Lord DUDLEY STUART seconded the motion. Mr. Frrzaov said that nothing could be gained by sending the bill to a Select Committee; because Members are committed to certain opinions, and the only evidence they would get would be that of cab and omnibus proprietors. The House itself is a more impartial tribunal. He insisted that the power conferred on Sir Richard Mayne is essential to the working of the bill. Some debate en- sued ; Mr. BECRETr DENISON, Mr. BRIGHT, Mr. NEWDEGATE, Mr. Boiestax Came; and Mr. LOCKE, supporting the amendment ; Mr. Malan and Sir JOHN SHELLEY speaking on behalf of the bill ; the House very impatient to divide. Finally, the amendment was negatived by 107 to 23; and the House went into Committee pro forma ; Mr. Fattier promising to consider suggestions. The bill passed through Committee, last night. Lord DUDLEY STUART proposed an amendment to the second clause, giving the power of appeal from the Commissioners of Police to the County Court : but it was nega- tived by 66 to 6.

ADJOURNMENT.

Lord Jours anemia gave notice, that he should on Monday move the adjournment of the House over Tuesday, on which day the Queen's birthday is to be celebrated ; and, as he perceived that there is but one Order of the Day on the books for Wednesday, he should move that the House adjourn till Thursday. (Loud cheers.) The House, of course, at its rising adjourned till Monday.

Cons. ELecrroar COMMrITEE.

The Committee has continued its sittings through the recess, to hear the evidence against the petition. Great numbers of witnesses, priests, magistrates, and others, have been examined, and they all tell one tale— that they saw no rioting or stone-throwing ; giving, in short, evidence implying a contradiction of that in favour of the petition. The Committee have not yet decided.