to corroborate the statement of the hon. Member for Norwich opposite (Mr. Tillett) that the Committee were unanimous in deciding that the construction of the proposed line would be of great public advantage. He regretted the absence of the Chairman of the Committee, and hoped the House would support the decision at which the Committee had arrived. of the populations of our large towns. He thought it would be desirable to consider at some early day whether the Standing Orders of the House might not be amended, so as to give the public a locus standi when the rights of common lands were affected. At the same time, in regard to the present Bill, he would advise his hon. Friend not to divide the House. MR. CHEETHAM begged to withdraw the Amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. the Bill to be read the third time. QUESTIONS. MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, the Admiralty have decided upon allowing such married men and others as the home ports may deem deserving of the indulgence to take on shore a portion of their rations, fresh meat included, for consumption in their own homes; but no article liable to duty is to be landed. will be governed will be issued without The regulations by which the concession LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE had no wish to prolong the discussion; but it would be unfair if the impression went abroad that his hon. Friend (Mr. Cheetham) who had raised this discussion was not fully justified in raising it, even if he abstained now from going to a division. He would certainly not press his hon. Friend to go to a division unless he was anxious to do so; but, unless they were to abandon the discusNAVY-FRESH MEAT RATIONS. sion of Private Bills altogether, he could SIR HI. DRUMMOND WOLFF asked not accept the dictum of his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. He fully he can now state at what decision the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether admitted that the pressure upon Imperial Board of Admiralty have arrived respectBusiness was very great, even exceping the landing of fresh meat rations tionally great, and that no hon. Member from Her Majesty's ships? ought to take upon himself, if he could possibly avoid it, the raising of a discussion upon a Private Bill. He would even go further, and say that it was un-captains in Her Majesty's ships in the advisable even to raise a discussion upon a public matter unless it was absolutely necessary. But the inclosure of common land in this particular case was proposed to be carried out in a manner so detrimental to the interests of the public that he thought his hon. Friend was fully justified in entering a protest against the Bill. Considering what the nature of the last Report of the Committee of that House was in regard to the inclosure of commons, no blame could attach to his hon. Friend for calling the attention of the House to the question. But after what had fallen from the Home Secretary, he would appeal to his hon. Friend not to divide the House; and he made the appeal chiefly from this reason-that the time could not be far distant when the Report of the Inclosure Commissioners would come up for consideration, and then the whole question might be gone into. Not only were the Railway Companies becoming moro encroaching and oppressive in this re-grants, and that the railway from the spect every day, but the ordinary law with regard to the inclosure of commons in the country was being carried out in a manner most injurious to the interests delay? CENTRAL ASIA-RUSSIAN ADVANCES- MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Czar has by Imperial Ukase incorporated in the Russian Empire the whole Country of the Tekke Turcomans, including Askabad, the furthest part of General Skobeleff's advance, notwithstanding the assurances of his Government that Russia did not intend to annex but merely to punish the Turcomans; that this country is being colonised by Cossack and Russian immi Caspian towards Herat is being rapidly advanced; that a deputation of Turcoman leaders is at present at St. Petersburg, and has promised fidelity and military service to the Czar, thus securing for Russia the aid of some 60,000 of the finest cavalry in the world; and, that negotiations are in progress to secure the submission of the Turcomans of Merv also? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, an Imperial Ukase has been issued announcing the annexation to the Russian Empire of the territory of the Tekke Turcomans, occupied by the Russian troops, under the name of " Trans-Caspian territory." Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at St. Petersburg has been informed that the territory thus described is the "Teke Oasis;" but we have no precise information as to its limits, or as to its being colonized. The last information we have received as to the progress of the Trans-Caspian railway was taken from a telegram from Krasnovodsk, published in The Golos, and dated April 19. It stated that the railway had been completed for a distance of 108 versts, and would reach Kagandchik by the middle of May. It appears that a deputation of Tekke Turcomans arrived at St. Petersburg on the 27th of May. They were accompanied by a Turcoman of Merv, who is stated to have come only with the object of seeing the capital of Russia, and reporting what he saw to his countrymen. We have no information as to negotiations being in progress to secure the submission of the Merv Turcomans. MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT asked whether the whole of the Tekke Turcoman territory was included in the annexation? MR. E. STANHOPE asked whether it would be possible to have a map placed in the Library showing the territory annexed? ŠIR CHARLES W. DILKE said, that at present the Government did not know what the exact limits of the district were. When they did, no doubt a map could, with the assistance of the Intelligence Department of the War Office, be prepared. SOUTH AFRICA-CONVICTION OF A ZULU FOR HIGH TREASON. MR. R. N. FOWLER asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he is aware that Solinye, one of the Zulu prisoners convicted of high treason at Pietermaritzburg, was a subject of the Zulu King; whether his Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett attention has been called to the fact that on the trial the judge expressed grave doubts as to whether Solinye was amenable to British Law; and, whether he will ask the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown on the subject? MR. GRANT DUFF: I am aware, Sir, that Solinye was once a subject of the Zulu King; but evidence was given at the trial that he had resided for three years in the Colony, and had become amenable to British law. I know that the Judge expressed some doubts as to the point of allegiance. In answer to my hon. Friend's third Question, I have to say that the Law Officers may have to be consulted; but we should require more evidence than we have as to the state of facts before we had materials enough to submit to them. I told my hon. Friend, however, long ago, that we were only waiting for rather calmer times in South Africa to take final action as to the cases of all these raiders. NAVY-THE TROOPSHIP "NEMESIS." VISCOUNT NEWPORT asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it has come to the knowledge of the Admiralty that the troop ship "Nemesis" broke down between this Country and the Cape upon several occasions, one of which was when crossing "the line," that her boilers were in an unsafe condition, that her fittings were rotten, that she ran short of provisions and water, and that, so great were the inconveniences and privations on board, that the troops eventually had to be transferred to the "Calabria" to finish the voyage? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, no Report has been received from the Consul at St. Vincent. There is no doubt, as I stated a month ago, that the Nemesis made an unsuccessful voyage. As far as the ship herself is concerned, there is no stronger merchant ship afloat; but the repairs done to her boilers by the owners were apparently defective, and the boilers leaked when the voyage was about half through. The fittings were new, and precisely the same as were supplied by the Transport Department to all the other transports. She was victualled for 50 days, in addition to having seven or eight days' fresh provisions on board. No Report has been received from the commander of the vessel or the commander of the troops that provisions and water had run short; and it is unlikely that there should be scarcity of water, because the ship put into Madeira before should have run short. It was not in consequence of inconvenience or privation that the troops were transferred to the Calabria, because no Report of that kind had been received; but the order was sent out from the Admiralty in consequence of the ship having made such a bad passage owing to the leakage in her boilers. Pains had been taken to ascertain that there were no defects in the vessel before she started; and the defect was of a kind that could not be ascertained. VISCOUNT NEWPORT asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he can state to the House the exact number of horses that died on board the "Nemesis," and also on board the other vessels that conveyed cavalry to the Cape? MR. CHILDERS: In reply to the noble Lord, I have to state that the number of horses that died in the Nemesis was 39, and in the other vessels 51, including two mules. POLICE EXPENDITURE-INCREASE OF COST. SIR BALDWYN LEIGHTON asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in view of the great difference of opinion as to the causes of the increase in the cost of police, he would take steps to obtain a report from the different police authorities as to such causes; and, if so, whether he would consider further what steps might be taken to make such information public or accessible? SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: Sir, I doubt whether there is much room for inquiry in connection with this matter. I have received a Return showing the increase in the cost of the police outside the Metropolis. The increase from 1879 to 1880 was less than £23,000 upon a total cost of £1,850,000; and it appears to me to be proportionate to the increase of the population. I doubt very much whether there is anything in the increase in the cost of the police outside the Metropolis which calls for any special inquiry. If the hon. Member should require it, I shall bo very willing to lay Papers upon the Table showing the increase in the cost of the police, and the increase in the numbers of the force. LAND LAW (IRELAND) BILL "URGENCY." MR. O'KELLY asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, in view of the state of Ireland resulting from the enforcement of existing Laws by the Military forces of the Empire, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to demand urgency for the Land Bill, and so shorten the period of dangerous tension which must elapso before the remedial measures proposed by Government can come into operation? MR. GLADSTONE: Sir, the hon. Member will excuse me for guarding myself against being supposed to assent to the proposition that the state of Ireland results from the enforcement of the law by the Military Forces of the Crown. That may be the opinion of the hon. Member, but I do not share in it. I should be disposed to attribute it to other causes. As to his Question whether it is the intention of the Government to demand "urgency" for the Land Bill, I have to remind the hon. Member that the House has kindly consented to take Morning Sittings on Tuesdays and Fridays, for the purpose of carrying on the discussions on that Bill. If we are more fortunate than we have hitherto been in avoiding an enormous and unprecedented multiplication of Questions, and Motions for the adjournment of the House, there ought to be a considerable time at the disposal of the House for the prosecution of the measure referred to by the hon. Member. At the same time, our estimate of the importance of the Bill, and the necessity of carrying it forward, is in no way abated, and it might possibly become our duty to make fresh proposals to the House. SIR EARDLEY WILMOT asked the Prime Minister, Whether there was any truth in the statement which had appeared in some of the morning papers that, with the view of expediting the progress of the Irish Land Bill through Parliament, portions of the Bill were to be abandoned? MR. GLADSTONE: None whatever, Sir. POST OFFICE (TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT)-THE CLERKS. MR. MACLIVER asked the Postmaster General, If there is any ground for the complaint that the privileges pro vided by the Acts of 1868 and 1876 have the Service; and in order to effect this, been withheld from the telegraph clerks; among other objects, I have already and, whether it is intended to place them submitted certain proposals to the Treain the position to which, according to sury. With regard to the latter part of the opinion given by the Attorney Gene- the Question, I am sure my hon. Friend ral on the 19th of May, they are legally will see that an inquiry involving conentitled? siderations of legal status would be most fittingly addressed to the Law Officers of the Crown. MR. FAWCETT: Sir, in reply to the hon. Member I have to state that, so far as I am aware, no privileges to which the telegraphists are entitled have been withheld from them, nor is it intended that any privileges to which they are entitled should in future be withheld from them. In order to prevent a misapprehension which may arise from the reference contained in the hon. Member's Question to an answer given by the Attorney General some time since, I think it is well to say that I have the authority of my hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General to state that in the answer to which reference has been made he never for one moment intended to convey the idea that the telegraphists were entitled to any legal rights which they have not enjoyed. MR. LABOUCHERE asked the Postmaster General, Whether overtime is compulsory in the Telegraph Department; and, whether he will define the legal status, rights, and privileges of the telegraph clerks-those transferred from the Companies; those irregularly appointed; those appointed since the last day of 1876? MR. LABOUCHERE asked the Secretary to the Treasury, When the scheme relating to the telegraph clerks, which the Postmaster General has already stated is in the hands of the Treasury, will be issued? LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISH: My right hon. Friend the Postmaster General communicated to me unofficially certain preliminary proposals for the improvement of the position of the telegraphists towards the close of last month. I have since been in constant communication with him with the object of arriving at the best settlement of a question which is of great importance, both from the number of persons affected by it and the serious financial considerations involved. I can only assure my hon. Friend that we are anxious to arrive at such a settlement with as little delay as the difficulty and complexity of the subject will allow, and that it is intended by my right hon. Friend to issue the scheme as soon as it is definitely settled and sanctioned by the Treasury. order to prevent injury to individuals from such unavoidable delay as may still occur, it is proposed that the scheme, when adopted, shall take effect from the 1st of April last. In MR. FAWCETT: Sir, I think it will be obvious to the House that in the Telegraph Service there must occasionally be an exceptional pressure of work, when, for instance, unusually long Parliamentary debates or important poliTREATY OF BERLIN-BULGARIA. tical demonstrations have to be reported. MR. LABOUCHERE asked the Under Unless a staff were maintained which for Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, ordinary purposes would be redundant, it Whether the statement in the public is evident that when there is this pres-journals is correct that the First Lord sure of work it can only be got through by some of the telegraphists being employed overtime. It often happens that a sufficient number of volunteers are found for the overtime work which is required; but when this is not the case the course which is adopted at the Central Office is to select by ballot the num-vernment is sending officers and arms to ber required to work overtime. In reply Bulgaria to aid Prince Alexander in to a Question addressed to me on a for- an attempt to subvert the Constitution mer occasion, I stated that I was very which he had sworn to obey; and, desirous that the amount of overtime whether any confirmation has been rework should be no greater than is ren-ceived by Her Majesty Government of dered necessary by the requirements of the publication of a note in the Russian Mr. Macliver of the Treasury has forwarded a letter to M. Zancoff, one of the leaders of the Constitutionalists in Bulgaria, expressing his sympathy with them in their endeavours to sustain the Constitution of their Country; whether there is any truth in the report that the Russian Go Official Gazette, in which it is stated | ments stationed on the Gold Coast, that "The Russian Government desires the Bulgarian nation, placing confidence in the loyal words of the Prince, should remain faithfully united to him, and oppose the instigations of ambitious agitators who may plunge the Country into anarchy involving its ruin; " and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government intends to communicate to the Bulgarian Constitutionalists that this appreciation of the confidence to be placed in the loyal words of the Prince, and of the results of their efforts to maintain the Constitution, is not shared in by Her Majesty's Government as one of the signatories of the Treaty of Berlin? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the first portion of my hon. Friend's Ques resulting in a great and unnecessary sacrifice of valuable lives, Her Majesty's Government will consider the advisability of abandoning Cape Coast Castle as a military station, and removing the West Coast garrison to St. Helena? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, I need hardly that the troops recently sent to Cape assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman Coast will not have been kept there longer than necessary for the special circumstances of the threatened war, and orders have been already given to reduce the force. But to speak of the mortality there as "a great sacrifice of valuable lives" is a somewhat exaggebeen much sickness, as is always the rated expression. Though there has case at this time of year, the entire three men of the West India Regiments, mortality was one European officer and that referred to, respecting the despatch It would not be possible to abandon according to Colonel Justice's last Report. of Russian officers and arms to Bulgaria; Cape Coast Castle altogether as a miliand, with regard to the last Question, I tary station, if the Colony is to be precan only repeat that Her Majesty's Go-tary station, if the Colony is to be preserved; but Colonel Justice reports that vernment have not been called upon both officers and men quartered in to express any opinion as to the recent the Castle have been in fairly good events in that country so far as the main health. The sickness has been among portion of the case is concerned. in the town. the troops quartered outside the Castle tion should be addressed to the Prime Minister. Her Majesty's Government have received no such information as MR. LABOUCHERE asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether he would answer the first part of the Question ? MR. GLADSTONE: Sir, a short time ago M. Zankoff addressed a letter to me on the state of affairs in Bulgaria; but it was not an official letter, and it did not draw forth an official reply. I had the pleasure of making that gentleman's acquaintance in 1876, and he therefore was quite entitled to write to me. The substance of my answer-I am quoting from memory-was that we had not received sufficient information to enable me to form a judgment on what was meditated in Bulgaria. I added, however, that the prepossession of the British Government must always be in favour of order, legality, and liberty. We have since received further information; but it will require elucidation before an opinion can be expressed upon it. AFRICA (WEST)—THE GOLD COAST. COLONEL DAWNAY asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, in consequence of the serious mortality prevailing amongst the West Indian regi SIR HENRY HOLLAND inquired, whether it was intended to establish a sanatorium on the Gold Coast? MR. CHILDERS: I do not think any Question on the subject has come before me since I have held Office. If, however, the Question is put again, I will endeavour to answer it. ARMY (AUXILIARY FORCES) — THE MR. ANDREW GRANT asked the Secretary of State for War, If he will consider the desirability of signalising the approaching Royal Reviews of the Volunteers of England and Scotland by conferring a medal or badge on all Volunteers who can show continuous service in the Volunteer Force from the date of its enrolment, twenty-two years ago, till the present time? MR. CHILDERS: No, Sir; this suggestion has been considered; but it is not, in my opinion, expedient to adopt it. A star is already worn for every year's efficient service. |