POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

The principal matters debated in the House of Commons last night were the treaty for the extinction of the Danish Sound Dues, and the utility or otherwise of the military establishment at Aldershott.

On the motion for going into Committee on the Sound Dues, Mr. LIDDELL urged on the Government the expediency of procuring the abolition of the Danish transit-dues, which, although they only amotint 4000/. a year, cause much vexation and delay.

After the House had gone into Committee, the Crissiecesson of the EXCEDZWEE made an extended statement of the whole question ;, beginning with the refusal of the United States to pay the dues describing the progress of the protracted negotiations, and stating the dues, of the settlement. When the Danish Government first proposed that the dues should be extinguished by the payment of a capital sum, the English Government did not give a favourable reply to the proposal. They could not adopt the policy of the American Government, because the dues had been recognized by European treaties and therefore formed part of international law. After a deliberate consideration of the question and finding that Russia and one or two other Powers had accepted the Danish terms, the British Government gave way. The amount paid annually to the Danish Government by British ships was not more than 70,000/. • but this, it was estimated, was by incidental payments raised to something like 200,0001. or 300,000/. a year.

"The total sum proposed for the redemption of the duties was fixed at 30,476,325 rixdollars ; of which Great Britain was to pay 10,126,855 rixdollars, Russia 9,739,993 rixdollars, Prussia 4,440,027 nxdollars France 1,219,003 rixdollars and the sums to be paid by the other contracting parties were also sett] . '

In acceding to this arrangement, the Government had made the Danish Government understand that Parliament would have the power to assent to or dissent from the arrangement. The sum England will have to pay amounts to 1,125,2061. sterling.

"Upon payment of that sum, the Danish Government intimated their determination to abolish to the fullest extent the duties levied upon vessels at the Sound, and undertook the -maintenance of light-houses, and other institutions of a similar character, for the convenience of commerce. They also undertook to reduce the transit-duties levied upon goods passing over the line of communication which runs across the Danish territory, by four-fifths of their amount."

The reduction of the transit-duties was not comprised in the original negotiations ; but a Committee of the House having brought them under notice, Lord Clarendon had pressed the matter on the attention of the Danish Government • and the concession of a reduction of four-fifths of their amount was all that the English Minister could, with great diffi-culty, obtain. With regard to the payment of so large sum as 1,125,206/. the action of Parliament had been left unfettered. As to the mode of paying it, that might be done either at once or by an annuity of twenty years. But there would be no advantage in the latter course, and ho proposed to pay the sum at once. The present state of the balances in the Exchequer would not justify him in resorting to a loan. "In the financial statement which I made at the commencement of this year, I informed the House that a part of my statement of the revenue and expenditure of the year ending April 1 was necessarily founded upon an estimate. I made that statement on the 15th of February, and for the rest of February and the whole of March I was compelled to make an estimate both of receipts and expenditure. It is generally prudent in such estimates to be on the safe side, and I estimated the income at 71,885,0001., and the expenditure of the year at 78,000,000/. I calculated the balances in the Exchequer at the end of the financial year as compared with the balances at the end of the previous year at 1,384,000/. But the actual result WE, that the income of the year, which Icalculated at 71,886,000/. , amounted to 72,334,000/. and the expenditure, which I estimated at 78,000,000Z., was really only 76,588,000/., being 1,412,000/. below my estimate. Thus the excess of income being 449,000/., and the deficiency of expenditure 1,412,000/., there is a sum of 1,861,000/. in favour of the public beyond the estimates that I then stated to the House. The result is, that the 'balances in the Exchequer at the end of the year, instead of being 1,384,0001., were 3,245,000/. That difference shows that there is a sum of 1,861,000/. in the Exchequer, which is available for the service of the present year beyond what I then stated. In the estimate I made I gave 2,000,000/. for the payment of the Exchequer Bonds which were due early in the month of May ; and that these 2,000,0001. have been paid off, and that even after that large payment there should remain the present aspect of the balances in the Exchequer, is owing partly to the circumstance I have mentioned, and partly owing to the fall in the duties of tea, in consequence of which a large portion of the duties were withheld until the quarter ending the 1st of April. This falls into the ways and means of this year, instead of those of the year preceding. Taking all these circumstances into consideration, I do not feel justified at the present moment in asking the Committee for any borrowing powers. I therefore propose to charge the Consolidated Fund with the whole amount, and to pay it out of the present balances in the Exchequer." After some remarks on the disputed question whether the dues were a charge on the trader or the consumer, Sir George moved that a sum of 1,125,206/. be granted out of the Consolidated Fund to compensate the King of Denmark for the abolition of the Sound Dues. The question led to some debate. Mr. BB.AMLEY MOORE, Mr. Wm'Jams, Sir HENRY WriLona any, and Mr. GEORGE DUNDAS, objected to the arrangement. It imposes n burden on the people for the benefit of the trader, and in regard to the transit-duties falls short of what should have been obtained. On the other hand, Mr. WEOUELIN, Mr. ADAMS, Mr. CLAY, and Mr. RIDLEY, approved of the arrangement.

The resolution was put and agreed to ; and the House resumed.

The House shortly afterwards resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, and occupied nearly the whole of the remainder of the sitting in a debate on a vote of 462,4351., in addition to 231,000/. already voted, on account for civil buildings and barracks at home and abroad. The subject was Aldenthott. Captain Vrview condemned extravagant votes for that "folly at Aldershott," where the men learn nothing except their brigade and division drill. At Chobham they did learn to pitch and strike tents, and the cavalry soldier learned to picket horses. When the barracks are built at Aldershott, the troops may learn to cook by gas and wash by steam, but -nothing of their duties in the field, cooking their ,own meat, washing their own clothes, making roads, draining camps, pitching and striking tents. He objected in the camp on economical and strategical grounds; and moved that the vote of 100,000/. to be expended on permanent barracks should be reduced by 50,000/. Sir FREDERICK SMITH defended the proposal to erect barracks at Aldershott. Sir -HENRY WILLOUGHBY supported the amendment, solely on financial grounds. Mr. Dirumsamen said, they should "look for a man with a name to him, who should be responsible for these things." The demoralization in the vicinity of the camp is dreadful to contemplate. It appeared to be a sort of cesspool, containing all the word characters from the metropolis; and he had heard officers say that it would ultimately be impossible to preserve discipline, unless the further expense was incurred of building a wall around the whole camp. The Committee ought not to vote a shilling without knowing who is responsible. Lord Paranuirgrott said he would tell Mr. Drummond: "I consider myself principally responsible." He had a great share in persuading the Treasury to purchase the land ; and Lord Hardinge was most anxious that the-camp should be established. The Chobham system could not be continued, since open spaces adapted for large assemblages of troops cannot be found at pleasure. Chobham has been enclosed, and most likely Aldershott would have been enclosed had it not been purchased. As to the permanent barracks, they formed part of the original proposal. It is not only a place where large bodies of troops can assemble ; it is a place of vast strategical importance—a central position, easily accessible from London, Dover, Plymouth, Portsmouth. It is one of the healthiest stations in the kingdom ; its salubrity was one of its greatest recommendations. The 'barracks will be built for .4000 infantry, 1600 cavalry, and a few batteries of artillery. "What we intend to do, is to assemble in summer large bodies of troops at Aldershott, consisting probably chiefly, of the Militia, one body after another, in order that they may practise those military evolutione which they would have to perform if called into the field. The gallant officer complains that the men are quartered in huts, and thus are prevented gaining experience in pitching tents : now, I have seen that practice going on, for I remember seeing a rifle battalion engaged in pitching tents. It is net, however, a very difficult art to acquire, and I think that it is only necessary that one regiment should be taught it at a time. With regard to cooking, no doubt that is a matter of some importance. But the subject of paramount importance at Aldershott is to teach a large body of men -to perform military evolutions on a large unequal surface of ground ; and that object the nature of the ground at Aldershott enables us to accomplish. I hope the House will not allow itself to be run away with by declarations about the dulness of Aldershott; by statements that the officers don't like to be there—that they have not the same amusements they have in large towns—that they prefer Dover, or Portsmouth, or Plymouth. Let not the House run away with the notion that money will be wasted by the completion of these barracks. The subject is one of the utmost importance as regards the efficiency of the army; and I maintain that nothing has been done for a number of years so well calculated to render the British army efficient as the purchase of Aldershott and the arrangements attendant thereupon. If we had not Alderahott, _if we were obliged to hire ground, the cost would be greater than the House would be likely to sanction; while, on the other hand, the arrangements of Aldershott are not only cheap to the public in comparison with the advantage to the country but they afford the moans of giving an efficienoy to the Array—both to o cers and privates—which without some such arrangement it could never-obtain.

Major WORTLEY supported the view of Captain Vivian. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said he should support the vote. Chobham was the first encampment in the memory of the present generation. "Public opinion had not previously been directed to the deficiency of our army, and our troops were afforded very few opportunities of acting together in large masses. When I, as Secretary at War, 'therefore proposed that there should be a military encampment, the doctrine whioli I advocated, of the expediency of having the various regiments of the army brought together in divisions and brigades, was very much questioned, upon the ground of the expense which the carrying of that doctrine into practical operation would entail upon the country. Economy was at the time the order of the day, and efficiency was but little regarded in comparison. During the war a different state of things prevailed ; but we may now perceive again a tendency to revert to economy. I must confess, I am myself a great advocate for economy in matters such as that under our notice ; but I feel bound to consider how far we should be consulting that principle by lopping off a sum of 50,0001., and spoiling the whole of roar plan, after the great expense to which We have gone with the view of securing the efficiency of our troops." Although of opinion that keeping a large body of troops at Aldershott in winter was a mistake, he approved of the proposed barracks and a summer encampment. But he desired to see more of the work done by the soldiers themselves.

The debate continued for some time ; seventeen other Members taking part and protracting the discussion, in spite of frequently repeated cries of " Divide !" Captain Vivian's motion met with the support of Lord ADOLPHUS VANE TEMPES,T Mr. HENLEY, Colonel KNOX, Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON.„ Mr. JOSEPH LOCKE, and Sir DE LACY EVANS. It was opposed by Mr. TUE Sir HARRY VERNEY, Sir JO RAMEIDEN, Sir WIL LIAM CODRINGTON,' HN -Sir FEN-WICK WILLIAMS, and Colonel SOMY.RSET.

On a division, the amendment was negatived by 188 to 99; and the vote being agreed to, the Chairman reported progress, and the House resumed.

On a motion for the adjournment of the House, at an earlier _period, several questions were put. Sir Joinsr Psiciturrou inquired whether the Government would give him a day for the discussion of his resolution on education ? Mr. ADDERLEY complained bitterly,of the abuse of petitioning by bringing libelous allegations against Members, that were not proceeded with. He asked the House, and the Government leader of the House, whether it would be content to leave the system of libel and slander in its present state ? Mr. G. If. MOORE and Mr. THOMAS Dirxe0MBE joined in this complaint.

Lord PALMERSTON told Sir John Pakington, that, looking to the state of public business, he could not at present promise him a day.. Sir John might be more fortunate than he had been in the ballot for precedence-; if not, after a certain time, the Government will afford him a day. Respecting Mr. Adderley's complaint, Lord Palmerston, admitting the abuse, enlarged on the expediency of not restricting too much the opportunities of bringing before Parliament the notice of practices that may demand inquiry and lead to the voiding of an election. If anything be done to remove abuses, it must be by an alteration of the law.

In the House of Lords, the Earl of ALBEMARLE set forth some complaints against the working of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854; particularly the undefined liability of shipowners for damage to property or life, and the superseding of local Marine Boards by Justices of the Peace and a Naval Assessor. He thought there should be an inquiry. Lord REDESDALE, Earl GREY and the Earl of DERBY, complained of the clauses in reference to wrecks. Explanations were given by Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY, substantially to the same effect as those given on Thursday in the House of Commons debate on the Board of Trade.

The alforning Poet states that the Queen will arrive at Manchester on the 29th, and visit the Art Treasures Exhibition on the 30th. "It is not, we believe, as yet decided whether the visit will be one of state or strictly private ; but a strong and general feeling has been expressed among all classes in Manchester that the visit may be of a nature to enable the public to give her Majesty a loyal and hearty reception upon this her second visit to the great centre of manufacturing industry. Her Majesty and the Prince will be accompanied, we believe, by the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, and two of the junior members of the Royal Family."

At a special Congregation of Oxford University, held yesterday, the proposed statute for extending examination to the middle classes was promulgated. The discussion in itself constitutes one of the most remarkable events of the day. All the speakers--and the list comprises some of the most eminent men—seemed to be generally favourable to the plan proposed by the Reverend Frederick Temple. A few, with the Provost of Oriel, objected to the permissive withdrawal of youths from the religious examination; but-the advocates of the plan replied with T5Tawhelming force. The precise nature of the title so as not to cause a confounding of those that bear it with residentiary graduates, was keenly discussed, but not by any one in an adverse spirit. . Several speakers dethat the :measure was needed to identify the Universities with the iilln'; but the remarkable fact was the warmth and confidence of those wh6 advocated the measure, the modesty and moderation of those who

'offered even partial objections. , . _ .

Liberal electors of Northamptonshire gave a banquet on Thursday to celebrate their triumph 1n. the,borough and the Southern division of the county. There were present .:Lord Althorpe, Mr. Vernon Smith, Lord Henley, Mr. Charles Gilpin, -Mr. Hot:amen, and Earl Spencer. ',The deputation of railway shareholdedWUted Upon Lord Stanley Of Aldeney yesterday to state their grievances. ..I:. The tendency of the replies orthe President of the Board of Trade was to show that the owners of railway property had drawn their difficulties upon themselves.

A telegraphic despatch from Marseilles gives some important facts .from the summary of the overland mail. The latest date is Bombay, May 12.

" The expeditionary force was to remain in Persia three months after the ratification of the treaty of peace. A telegraphic despatch received at Bombay from Meerut states that the Third Bengal Cavalry were in open mutiny. 'Several officers and' men had been killed and wounded. It was reported at Calcutta that a correspondence had been discovered in possession ofa Native • offiffin of the Thirty-fourth Bengal Infantry proving the existence of a confarMy.for...organizing. a general rising of the entire army. The British mission to Afighanistan had reached Candahar."

telegraphie' despatch from Paris, dated -Yesterday, states that, " aceording to the latest intelligence, Lord Elgin was at Cairo, with the -gentlemen attached to his mission. •He was to embark at Suez on the 5th June, and proceed direct to Singapore." . • ,The Archduke Maximilian Of A:1'4dd embarked at Leghorn on Thursdak..,He is to'visit Portugal and 'England. \Vie' King of Denmark had determined to despatch the war corvette Najiaeri to the China Seas. She is to be stationed at Macao during the

impending hostilities. . • •