asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any advance has been made in securing that the evidence of Christians shall be admitted in courts of justice in Turkey on a footing equal to the testing given by Mahometans; and, whether certain inhabitants in that country at present suffer from disabilities in reference to military service and the devolution of landed property?

Sir, the latest reports from Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople state that in all the Turkish Courts, excepting those administering the Koran Law, there has been an advance towards placing Christian evidence on a footing of equality with that of Mahometans. In all criminal cases, without exception, Christian evidence is admitted in the new Court. Christians are not taken for military service, and pay a tax instead; but this is now regarded by them more as an advantage than as a disqualification. With regard to landed property, Sir Henry Elliot says that the subjects of the Sultan, of whatever creed, as well as all foreigners, are stated to be upon the same footing.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Under what authority large enclosures are being made at Dartmoor without compensation to the commoners; and, whether any payment is made by the Duchy of Cornwall to the Treasury on account of the labour of the convicts employed in the work?

Sir, the authority for the leases granted by the Duchy of Cornwall at Dartmoor is the Act 26 & 27 Vict. c. 49, s. 22, Duchy of Cornwall Management Act, 1863. No payment is made to the Treasury on account of convict labour, because the convicts are only employed on lands leased to the Prison Directors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to the case of the schooner "William," of Exeter, which left Hartlepool on the 25th June, and foundered at sea on 1st July; whether he is aware that this ship was known to be so unseaworthy that she had baskets of sawdust drawn under her that the action of the sea might suck the sawdust into the seams, and thus temporarily stop the leaks; whether the Board of Trade inquiry was held on the loss of this ship at Exeter, where the owner lived, instead of at Hartlepool, where the aforesaid facts were known; and, whether, as the finding was that the vessel was not unseaworthy, although it foundered in perfectly fine calm weather, and, to use the language of a correspondent of "The Times." she "took a header" and went to the bottom, he will cause the strictest inquiry to be made, and report to the House?

I have not hoard, Sir, of the baskets of sawdust; there is no mention of that in the evidence. It is true the inquiry was held at Exeter. The question where inquiries of this kind should be held is left to the solicitor conducting them, who decides on the balance of convenience. The Report states that the vessel had been repaired three months previously; but nevertheless she was not in all respects, a seaworthy vessel. The hon. Member is wrong in stating that the vessel foundered in fine, calm weather. Having read the evidence, I find that she was exposed to a very strong gale of wind—one of the witnesses said it blew very hard. She was struck by a very heavy sea at 11 o'clock in the morning of Monday, the 30th June, when it became necessary to work the pumps, and she did not founder till 24 hours after. She went down head-foremost three miles off the land, and the crew escaped in the boats.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the Royal Commissioners on Unseaworthy Ships have power under the Order of Reference to appoint assistant-Commissioners to prosecute inquiries during the Recess at the seaports; and, if they have not, whe- ther it is the intention of the Government to supplement their existing powers to this end, so that there may be no de-lay in prosecuting the necessary inquiries?

Sir, the Royal Commissioners have full power to appoint assistant-Commissioners for the purpose stated. It will depend on the Commissioners themselves whether they exercise that power. I have reason to believe, however, that they think it desirable to see and hear all the witnesses themselves; and, in any case, the House may have full confidence in the way the Commissioners are carrying on their inquiry.

for Mr. OTWAY, asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, When and how he proposes to give effect to the promise he made on the 17th June last, that the Civil Service writers should receive special pay for special kinds of work, that certain holidays should be granted to all writers, that sick leave on medical certificate should be granted to writers without loss of pay, and that an allowance for travelling expenses should be made to writers when ordered away on duty by the Government?

Sir, the mode in which effect should be given to this undertaking is now under the examination of the 'Treasury and the Civil Service Commissioners, and it will very shortly be made known. I am not in a position to say more at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the statement is correct that Sir R. Carden said—

"As a matter worthy of attention of the Home Secretary, that from the authorized book of cab fares now in use among cabmen, and which was published in 1870, there were no less than sixteen railway stations in the Metropolis, many of them being principal stations, entirely omitted;

Sir, the last authorized book of fares was published in 1872. New measurements are now being made by the Ordnance Survey Department. These measurements will be given from the 227 principal cab-stands to certain important points in the metropolis. Among the points to which measurements will be given, 35 railway stations are included, and among them all the terminal stations. The measurements to 89 cab-stands have been completed, and the whole will be completed and a new book issued as soon as it can be prepared.