strong opinion on the subject, but, on | mendation. Further, the scope of the the whole, he was inclined to prefer the Committee's inquiry was limited by the system which placed Persia under the Order of Reference; for as the ComIndia Office. The right hon. Gentle- mittee was appointed to inquire into the man also commended the form of the constitution of the Diplomatic and ConMotion, but it was exceptional in this- sular Services, it exceeded its powers by that it combined together alternative dealing with a question of this nicety; propositions which really had no con- and if such a question had been referred nection. The one was a political propo- to it, it would have been the first time sition of great importance and delicacy; Parliament ever appointed a Committee the other was a mere financial arrange- for such a purpose; it would have handed ment, fit to be discussed in Committee of over to a Committee a matter properly Supply. He objected altogether to plac- reserved for the Executive Government, ing these propositions as alternatives subject to the review and correction of the one to the other, and to the assump- the House. In fact, the system under tion that the adoption of one necessarily which the affairs of the Persian Mission excluded the other-a point which had were managed had existed for 40 years, not been argued and as to which the with the exception of a single year, and hon. Mover of the Resolution might fall the House was now called upon to alter into a trap. The right hon. Gentleman it on the Resolution of a Committee assumed that the intention of the hon. which was not appointed to consider the Mover was that, if the Mission were matter. Was that a matter in which the not transferred, the expenses should be House could interfere with safety? Lord charged to England; but that was not Malmesbury altered the present system required by the terms of the Motion; after an experience at the Foreign Office that merely required that the expenses of 12 months; Lord Palmerston adhered should be readjusted; and it would be a to the present system after as experience full compliance with the terms of the of 15 years or more as Foreign SecreResolution if India, instead of paying tary, and constant attention to the affairs £12,000 a-year, were made to pay the of the Foreign Office after he had quitted whole expense of the Mission. The it. Lord Clarendon, a most experienced question of the division of expense ap- Foreign Minister, adhered to the present peared to him to be one for discussion system, Lord Malmesbury altered it after in Committee of Supply, and not one a year's experience, Lord Derby had no which it was convenient to mix up with very strong opinion on the matter; but the larger question. With respect to Mr. Hammond, no mean authority, suplooking to the Indian Service for the ported the present system, and so did the choice of the agents by whom the busi- present Foreign Secretary. In that conness of the Persian Mission was to be dition of divided authorities, there being, conducted, he would say it was a good however, a great preponderance of those thing that all services should be carefully who had long Parliamentary experience watched by the House of Commons, be- and long official practice in the Foreign cause they were all apt to fall into a Office in favour of the present system, species of exclusiveness, each preferring it would not be safe to accede to the Reits own members, habits, and traditions. solution. There was another point of He would not, however, give an opinion which no notice had been taken, and adverse to the general view expressed that was that the Court of the Shah was that it would be proper to select persons attended by Ministers who in every case of Indian experience for the Indian Mis- formed a portion of the regular diplosion. With respect to the main question, matic service, of their respective counthe transference of the Mission to the tries. Under these circumstances, it India Office, he did not admit that it would have a tendency to lower the was the duty of the Ministry to give position of those who represented the effect to the recommendations of the ma- Queen in the eyes of the Shah, if this jority of a Committee. That was autho- change were made. It was very material ritative evidence with which a Minister to observe that Lord Clarendon had not might enter upon an investigation; but scrupled to state his strong conviction it would never do to lay down the prin- that the Shah would not approve the ciple that a Minister could shield himself transfer. His right hon. Friend had from responsibility under such a recom- conceded what he (Mr. Gladstone) be

mous in their opinion that the interests of India were sacrificed. He maintained, having looked anxiously into this question, that the interests of this country required that our Persian Embassy should be represented by some one thoroughly acquainted with our Indian affairs, and that, compared with the Government of India, our Government at home knew very little about our Persian relations. He trusted the House would adopt the Resolution of his hon. Friend. Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

The House divided:-Ayes 90; Noes 60 Majority 30.

ARMY-CAVALRY REMOUNTS.

lieved to be the main point, when he said that if those who were responsible for the conduct of affairs were not willing to accept a transfer of this kind, it ought not to be made, and he would not wish that the House should force it upon them. But, at all events, his right hon. Friend said that England ought to pay for the Mission. He would not enter upon that point now. But the way he would presume to put the matter was this-The affairs of the Persian Mission were really, and to a very substantial purpose, part of the foreign affairs of India; but with respect to the foreign relations of India, it had been held that the whole of that portion of them which touched on the northern frontier of India was more appropriately, conveniently, and effectively lodged in the hands of the Foreign Minister than of the Indian Government. In that case it might be said that India ought not to pay for the Persian Mission. That was a matter for discussion. But if we acted in the interest of India, and placed these functions in the hands of the Foreign Minister, because we thought he would be best able to defend the interests of India, would it be said that it was not right to throw the expenses on the Indian Exchequer? But, in conclusion, upon the main question he hoped that the House of Commons would not consent to interfere against the weight of authority on the part of those who had been engaged in the conduct of foreign affairs-ferent regiments competed with each a weight of authority amounting to nearly an unbroken chain for many years.

MR. KINNAIRD, as a Member of the Committee which sat on the subject, said he must contend from the following terms of the Order of Reference :

"To inquire into the constitution of the Diplomatic and Consular Services and their maintenance on the efficient footing required by the political and commercial interests of the country," that they had not gone out of their Reference, and unless the proceedings of the Committee were a farce and a sham the matter had been referred to them in the most distinct manner. The plain common-sense view of the question was at variance with the judgment of the Prime Minister. What were the interests most affected? Were they those of England? Not a bit. Persia was contiguous to our Empire in India, where we had an Administration and a Council which were, he believed, unaniMr. Gladstone

OBSERVATIONS. QUESTION.

MR. BROWN, in rising to call attention to the present system of purchasing Remounts for the Cavalry, and to ask what steps were being taken to remedy the evils of the present system, said, that under the present system agents were employed to attend different fairs for the purpose of purchasing horses, and the result was that the sellers took advantage of the competition to raise the prices to the injury of the public service. At present the arrangements for procuring remounts were defective, and as instanced in a recent purchase of 683 horses, the colonels of dif

other in obtaining them, not always getting those horses which were best suited for their own branch of the service. If the country, however, were divided into districts for this purpose, those who purchased the horses could have the power of drafting them off to those places where they were most required. He wished to know what steps had been taken to remedy the evils of the existing system, and to prevent the competition of colonels in the purchase of remounts for cavalry?

SIR HENRY STORKS said, he would admit the importance of the subject, but thought there was no Army in the world which was better mounted than the British. The hon. Member asked what steps were being taken to remedy the existing state of things. He could not, for his own part, see that any such steps were necessary; but if the hon. Member would be good enough to give him in

writing the plan which he suggested, he would examine it with much pleasure. Certainly the cost of cavalry horses had greatly increased of late; but everybody who bought horses knew that the prices had risen generally. After adducing detailed statistics of the present establishment of horses for the various branches of the service, the right hon. and gallant Gentleman said he did not think that the cavalry would be so well mounted as they were unless the colonels of regiments had the power of buying horses, nor, though horses were no doubt becoming dearer, that that fact was owing to the competition of commanding officers.

The

drawal of the Petition; but he must have some means supplied to him of using to advantage whatever influence he might possess, and he should be glad if the Commissioners could hold out a prospect of so equitably and liberally dealing with these estates as to remove the objections of the Petitioners. renewal of their leases had been stopped for two years, and the owners of leasehold estates, which had been in their families for generations, were brought face to face with an extinction of their interests and were denied the opportunity of enfranchisement which Parliament intended. The delay was causing great individual loss, while it prevented. public improvements, and was injurious to the Church.

DURHAM CHURCH LEASEHOLDS.

OBSERVATIONS. QUESTION.

MR. BRUCE understood that the hon. Gentleman did not blame the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in this matter. The delay arose, not from any want of attention on their parts, but from the fact that the lessees had delayed to put in their case. However, since his attention had been called to the matter he had inquired into it and had learnt that every effort would be made to remove the evils which were complained of. He trusted that that assurance would satisfy his hon. Friend.

INGTON " PROSECUTION OF THE "CLAIMANT" FOR PERJURY.

QUESTION.

MR. WHALLEY, who had given Notice to call attention to this subject and to ask a Question of the Home Secretary, rose pursuant to Notice.

MR. STEVENSON, in rising to call attention to the continued dead-lock in the administration of the estates of the Dean and Chapter of Durham, and to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he is prepared to take any steps to put an end to the present anomalous position of the Durham Capitular Estates which had passed from the control of the Dean and Chapter, but not into the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and to enable the intentions of Parliament to be fulfilled with regard to the enfranchise- CRIMINAL LAW-"TICHBORNE v. LUSHment of leasehold interests and the endowment of benefices, said, the Church Estates Commissioners had sanctioned the enfranchisement of upwards of 600 leasehold interests in the property of the Dean and Chapter, and the rateable value of South Shields had increased 70 per cent as a consequence. But this beneficial system had been entirely arrested for the last three years, and a complete dead-lock had ensued. No doubt while negotiations were pending it was necessary that some time should elapse during which no dealings with this property should take place; but a most unreasonable delay had taken place, and it was now quite time that there should be some alteration. He knew that, contrary to the intention of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, much of this delay had been caused by the presentation of a Petition to the Privy Council, against the scheme of the Commissioners, from a number of lessees. It had been suggested that he should use his influence to induce the with

MR. SPEAKER pointed out that as the Home Secretary, of whom the hon. Gentleman proposed to ask the Question of which he had given Notice, had already spoken on the Question that he should leave the Chair, the right hon. Gentleman would be unable to reply.

MR. WHALLEY said, he would in that case ask the question of the First Lord of the Treasury. ["Spoke!"] Then he would ask it of the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He would ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he will instruct the Solicitor of the Treasury to investigate such evidence as might be brought to his notice, with a view to providing the means of bringing forward