asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will be so good as to cause a circular to be sent to all magistrates' clerks and borough and county magistrates of seaport towns, again reminding them that they have the power now, when seamen are brought before them charged with refusing to go to sea, of ordering a survey, which will be made without expense to the borough funds, by the officers of the Board of Trade?

, in reply, said, that a communication was made from the Home Office to the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Plimsoll) some time ago that it was the intention of the Home Office to issue a circular of some kind, and he was in communication with the President of the Board of Trade as to the form it should take.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, seeing that no provision is made in the Unseaworthy Ships Bill for prohibiting deck cargoes during the next twelve months, he will endeavour, through the Foreign Office, to induce Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and other exporting countries to prevent the loading of ships with deck cargoes?

Sir, assuming it to be possible, which it probably is not, for the Governments of the countries referred to to legislate between this time and next winter, it would scarcely become this Government to suggest to them the legislation they should adopt. The suggestion of such legislation, if confined to British ships, would in effect be to ask those countries to impose on British shipping restrictions which they do not impose on their own. If not so confined, it would amount to an interference with the municipal law of those countries which could scarcely be justified. I, however, hope and believe foreign countries are taking steps in co-operation with this country for security against the improper loading of ships.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether, having regard to the Report of the Royal Commission in 1870 on Primary Education in Ireland, that "the Model Schools have failed to accomplish the objects of their institution, and that the cost of their further maintenance is not justified by the result produced," and their recommendation that the existing provincial Model Schools "should be gradually discontinued," Her Majesty's Government will give legal effect to the recommendations of the Commission; and, whether they will consider the advisability of applying the money now expended on the Model School system to the development of Intermediate Education in Ireland?

, in reply, said, no doubt, before the Government could propose any scheme in reference to intermediate education, it would be necessary to consider the position of the model schools. The Government would pay every possible attention to the recommendations which had been made by the Commissioners, but it was not the intention of the Government to give effect to them. He would add that the model schools were considered to be of great importance in certain parts of Ireland, where they did, to a great extent, what was necessary for the purposes of secondary education.

gave Notice that he would next Session draw attention to the Report of the Commissioners, in reference to intermediate education in Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is the intention of the Board of Trade to insist upon Railway Companies complying with the Act of Parliament which requires "That an efficient means of communication shall be established between the passengers and guards of certain Railway trains;" whether, with a view to this result, the Board of Trade will fix a time at the expiration of which they will cause proceedings to be taken for the recovery of penalties under the Act against such Companies as have not by that time established "an efficient means of communication;" and, whether, as to certain trains, there is not a penalty incurred by Railway Companies for every compartment of every carriage where there is no communication, or where such communication is inefficient?

Sir, the Board of Trade has no power to initiate any system of communication between passengers and guards in railway trains; and, although only three of the companies have had their systems of communication approved by the Board of Trade, it is not my intention, at present, to institute any proceedings against such companies as have not complied with the provisions of the Regulation of Railways Act, 1868, in this respect. The reason for this is that the whole question is now being considered by the Royal Commission on Railway Accidents, under the presidency of the Duke of Buckingham, whose Report will, I hope, shortly be made; and any recommendations they may make on the subject shall have my anxious and immediate attention. The last paragraph of the hon. Gentleman's Question is one upon which I am unable to offer an opinion, and must be decided by a Court of Law.

asked the Postmaster General, If he will lay upon the Table of the House, Copies of the Documents sent in by Mr. Scudamore to the Treasury Committee on Telegraphs; and, whether Mr. Scudamore will be authorized to offer observations upon the Report of the Treasury Committee, and if such observations will be laid upon the Table of the House?

, in reply, said, the Report was made to the Treasury, and that he had no control over and documents sent in by the Committee. As to the second part of the Question, he had no doubt that any observations which Mr. Scudamore might offer upon that Report would be duly considered by the Treasury. He was unable, at present, to state whether the Paper could be laid on the Table of the House.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If he will inform the House what grounds exist for the statement that disorders had recently occurred on board Her Majesty's ship "Triumph?"

, in reply, said, that the reports which appeared in some of the newspapers during the last few days with regard to the Triumph, were scandalous fabrications. There was a slight substratum—very slight—for the report. Some of the dockyard police had, on one or two occasions, missiles—such as wedges of wood or bits of rope—thrown at them from the topgallant forecastle, and it had been ordered to be cleared. There had been an inquiry, and it was found there was no existence of bad feeling amongst the crew of the ship against the commander.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether, having regard to the representations addressed to the Government by persons interested in the sale and purchase of land, as well as by both branches of the legal profession in Ireland, in favour of appointing a second Judge to the Landed Estates Court, he will now state whether it is the intention of the Government to fill up the vacant judgeship?

Sir, the Government have decided to advise Her Majesty to fill up at an early date the Judgeship now vacant of the Irish Landed Estates Court. It is intended, as soon as arrangements can be made for the purpose, and legislation on this subject will be proposed to Parliament early next Session, that the Judge to, be appointed, in addition to his share of the present work of the Landed Estates Court, shall perform other important duties connected with the same subject which are at present performed by another high legal official, whose office it will, consequently, be proposed to abolish.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, What steps he proposes to take in order to carry out the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry held at Greenwich into the burning of the Emigrant Ship "Cospatrick," specially with regard to the proper stowage of the boats and the weekly exercise of the crews of both emigrant and passenger ships at fire and boat stations?

Sir, the Court which inquired into the loss of the Cospatrick by fire made three recommendations. The first was, that in wooden vessels there should be bulkheads to cut off communication with the hold as in iron ships, and that has been seen to as far as possible. The second was, that there should be better stowage of boats, and that they should not be stowed keel upwards. That point is under consideration of a Departmental Committee; but its decision has been delayed by the illness of Captain Forster, the chief Emigration Officer of the Board of Trade. The third was, that there should be a boat drill on board emigrant ships. To these recommendations we have called the attention of shipowners throughout the country; but, at the same time, I beg to state that we do not think it desirable that imperative orders should be issued for compliance with them, and much less that compliance with them should be enforced by special legislation directed to that end.

asked, Whether there would be a Sitting of the House to-morrow, and whether the House would meet on Friday?

in reply, said, it would not be necessary to ask the House to meet tomorrow. The House would meet at 12 o'clock on Friday for the Prorogation.

said, that, in consequence of the answer given by the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he should move that the Order of the Day for going into Committee on the Bill, which had been more than once on the Paper, should be read and discharged. He wished, at the same time, to express his thanks to the hon. Members for Chelsea (Sir Charles Dilke) and Dundee (Mr. Edward Jenkins) for the great services they had rendered to his cause by the course they had taken on Monday night. There never had been a division on the main principle of the Bill until the hon. Member for Chelsea moved to substitute another day for that which he proposed for the postponement of the Bill. The hon. Member for Dundee, not satisfied with the result of the division on that Amendment, challenged a division on the substantive Motion, and this was really taking a division on the principle of the Bill. That was a result for which he (Mr. Beresford Hope) had vainly looked, and for which he was much indebted to the hon. Members opposite.

said, that no discussion on the merits of the Bill would be in Order on the present occasion.

said, he would bow to the authority of the Chair, but would take the opportunity of giving Notice that it was his intention to raise the question again next year. A Petition signed by between 4,000 and 5,000 of the clergy had been presented in favour of the Bill, although in consequence of some ignorance of the Forms of the House the signatures of only about 1,000 could be received. The fact, however, remained that one-fourth of the clergy of England had formally declared their assent to the Bill. Next Session he should re-introduce it at the earliest possible moment, and if he could only then find as good a friend as the hon. Member for Dundee had been this year, he trusted that he might be able to pass this Bill.

said, that having voted in the minority the other night, he begged to state that he was as much in favour of an increase in the Episcopate as his hon. Friend the Member for the Cambridge University; but he thought the question had never been fully considered by the House.

said, that any debate on the Bill would be entirely out of Order.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he has received a Memorial from some of the inhabitants of Sheerness relative to the unsafe condition of the sea wall in front of Marine Town; and, whether any steps have been taken by his department in the matter?

in reply, said, he had received such a Memorial. It came before him in connection with a proposal of the Local Board of Sheer-ness to construct an esplanade on a portion of the sea wall repairable by the War Office. The War Office naturally objected to repair that portion of the wall which they were not liable to repair, but which should be done by other parties, and the matter was still under consideration, and he was waiting for another communication from the Local Board.

I understand, Sir, that the Lords' Amendments are merely formal, and having supported this Bill throughout, as containing a principle which I have long desired to see enacted by Parliament; that principle being the reversal of the hitherto presumption of law, which was against compensation to tenants for unexhausted improvements, I am anxious to make one or two observations. I have long thought that, in the present state of agriculture, justice demands that the principle of the law should favour a claim for compensation for his improvements on the part of the tenant, owing to the extent to which improvements in agriculture have been carried during the last 40 years, and by reason of the large amount of capital which it has become necessary for the tenant to employ in order to effect these improvements. But I own that I do not view the frame of this Bill without some apprehension; and I think it highly important, for the sake of the good understanding which has hitherto existed between the landlords and tenantry of England, that the operation of this Bill should at once be explained and understood. I do not intend to attempt that task myself on the present occasion; but having been friendly for so many years to the principle of this Bill, I wish to point to one or two circumstances connected with its framing and to one or two matters connected with its probable operation. The Bill is an "enabling" Bill. The Bill is a "permissive" Bill; but, at the same time, its permissive character is qualified by two circumstances; and the first of these circumstances is, that under the Bill action on the part either of the landlord or the tenant to maintain for themselves the right of free contract, or in order to exempt themselves from its operation, is necessary, and that this action must be taken within the very limited period of two months after the statute comes into operation. It is most important that that should be clearly understood throughout the country. Well, Sir, there are certain omissions from the Bill, which I endeavoured to supply; with this object, I moved a clause, by which the manure made upon the farm would have been declared to be the property of the tenant, and this manure is the chief instrument for the fertilization of the farm. I am, therefore, of opinion that if, at the conclusion of his tenancy, the tenant is found to have provided a store of manure, he ought to be compensated for any provision in that form which he may leave upon the holding for the future cultivation of the farm. Unfortunately, however, as I think, the House by a small majority rejected that Amendment; I regret this the more, because it appears to me that the Bill in some of its provisions points in the opposite direction. It seems to point towards the manure being the absolute property of the landlord; and my experience tells me, that under these conditions this will be found a void inheritance—void, that is, of the elements necessary for the future cultivation of the farm. But there is another provision omitted from the Bill, which I ventured to suggest to the House, but which the House did not accept. There is no power under this Bill, although it extends the period of notice to quit to double the former period; from six months to a year, which in practice, from the use of fixed dates for quitting, may become two years; there is no power, I say, under the Bill for the landlord to enter for the purpose of preventing waste; waste, that is, on the part of the tenant, in case of his death on the part of his executors. Now, I hold that "prevention is better than cure; "and although we have provided penalties against waste, the experience of those who are intimately and practically acquainted with the management of landed estates, as I have been repeatedly assured, is that this omission of all power of entry after notice to quit is a serious defect in the Bill, There is also an objection, which was raised by the hon. Member for East Sussex (Mr. Gregory), that the provisions of this Bill, where it extends to saddle the estate with a charge for compensation for unexhausted improvements, some of them possibly of a very costly nature, are such that they may entail serious difficulties and future litigation among remainder interests and incumbrancers. I cannot think that adequate provision has been made in this respect; and in proof of that opinion I will read to the House the Resolutions of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the improvement of land, the recommendations adopted by that Committee at the close of the Session of 1873. This was a very competent Committee, presided over by the Marquess of Salisbury, and its Report has been communicated to this House—

said, that after carefully considering the statement of the noble Lord the Under Secretary of State for India and the discussion which took place on it, he never was more convinced than he now was that there were many things connected with the finances of India which particularly required careful investigation. He thought they ought to receive more precise information in the next Financial Statement. The question of expenditure was of very great importance. If they were told what the Extraordinary Expenditure was they should also be told what the Extraordinary Receipts were. The accounts also were deficient in this—that whilst they showed what the increase of the Revenue was, they did not show whether that increase was real or only nominal. If the occasion permitted it, he could show that in one instance where the Revenue had increased, the cost of collecting it had increased in a greater proportion. He wished to know whether the increase of the Army expenditure was due to any action on the part of the War Office. He gave Notice that next Session, with the view of securing an earlier and a more complete discussion of the Indian Budget, he should move, on the earliest possible day, the following Resolution:—

"That this House, considering it important that it should devote an adequate amount of attention to Indian affairs, is of opinion that it is desirable that Public Business should he arranged, so that it will not he necessary to postpone the Indian Budget until almost the close of the Session."

said, he would admit that it was desirable, if it could be conveniently done, that the Indian Budget should be discussed earlier in the Session; but, still, he thought that the inconvenience arising from the present course of proceeding was exaggerated. The complaint as to the lateness at which the Indian Budget was brought on was made against every Administration; in fact, it might be called an annual growl. The only object in having the discussion earlier was, that there might be a full House; but he was afraid that could not be secured, because the affairs of India were not administered by the House, but by the Indian Council, and public functionaries, and because the Indian Budget was only brought forward for discussion, without any decision being come to upon it.

thought it only right and just that the affairs of India should be discussed when there was a full attendance of hon. Members. There was a vast population of India which took a deep interest in this discussion, and these matters ought to be reviewed earlier in the Session. But as the Legislature of England had seen fit to set aside the East India Company, which had acquired India, and had for so many years administered the Government of India, it was incumbent on the Legislature to provide for the discussion to which the new Government ought to be subjected, by finding time for doing so. And as regarded the duties entrusted to the Council of India, it was only just that the Parliament which created these duties should ascertain how they were fulfilled.

said, the hon. Member for Hackney (Mr. Fawcett) had asked him whether the increase of the Army expenditure was due to any action of the War Office? There were two items of increase which were rendered necessary in consequence of certain alterations made at the War Office—one of which was the increase of the pay of officers of Artillery, who had by a Royal Warrant been promoted to the rank of major; and the other was a small addition to the pay of privates, necessary in consequence of certain alterations made by Lord Card-well. He stated the other night the reasons why the Budget was brought on so late; and though, no doubt, it was somewhat unfortunate that it should be the last Business which the Government transacted, yet its postponement this year had been attended with this advantage, that he had been able to receive a forecast of the Public Works expenditure. The discussion turned mainly upon that expenditure, and had the Budget been brought forward earlier in the Session, they would not have had the information of which they were able to avail themselves the other night. He thought that inconvenience arose from postponing observations upon a variety of Indian topics until the Financial Statement was made, when it was almost impossible to reply accurately to the obervations which were made. He hoped, therefore, that another year hon. Members who wished to call attention to Indian matters which were not connected with finance would do so apart from the Budget; and then the discussion upon Indian Finance could be more satisfactorily conducted.

said, that one of the Amendments of the Lords was a purely technical one, and he should move to agree to it. As the Bill originally stood, the age at which protection was given to young girls was 14, but at the suggestion of the right hon. and learned Recorder of London 13 was inserted instead. The Lords, however, in consequence of some misunderstanding—he believed in reference to putting the Question—had struck out the 4th clause of the Bill, and thereby reduced the age to 12. Lord Lyttelton moved, in the Upper House, to restore the age of 14, but his Motion was negatived. Lord Redesdale then put the Question—" That Clause 4 stand part of the Bill," and said that "The Not Contents had it," and thus, to the surprise of many noble Lords, Clause 4 was struck out, rendering the Bill quite useless. He would move that the House should disagree with the Lords in this Amendment.

said, he thought that there was no misunderstanding whatever in connection with the decision in the Lords, and as the House had agreed to the Lords Amendments in every other Bill, he saw no reason why they should doubt their judgment on a legal and moral question of the character involved in Clause 4. He, therefore, hoped that their Amendment would be agreed to.

said, he was sorry, and he thought justly so, that the hon. and learned Member (Mr. Charley) had been somewhat hardly treated in connection with the Bill, because it had been many times down upon the Paper without there being a discussion upon it. As he (Mr. Charley) had said, the age originally was 14; many hon. Members wanted it to be 12; and a compromise was effected by inserting 13. That was an age which was very familiar from being mentioned in several statutes—as, for example, in the Factory Acts, the Elementary Education Act, as the age at which childhood ended; and the compromise having been come to with the general assent of the House, he did not think that because they agreed to some of their Lordships' wise Amendments they should agree to those which were unwise.

moved that the House, at its rising, do adjourn till Friday at 12 o'clock, observing that there was no Business of any kind on the Paper for Thursday.

called attention to the lamentable failure of the Irish Public Health Act, which passed last Session, though he admitted that that Act was conceived in a very excellent spirit. He had to complain that the Act had not been adequately carried out in Ireland by the local sanitary authorities; that there were at least 500,000 persons in Ireland living in miserable hovels; that the ventilation and water supply were bad; and the medical sanitary officers performed their duties negligently. The medical officers excused themselves on the ground that they were not sufficiently remunerated by the local authorities, and unless something was done before the House re-assembled to satisfy their demands, there was a probability that these gentlemen would sign a round robin, and refuse to perform the duties which the Act imposed upon them. In that event, he need hardly say, the most deplorable consequences must ensue.

said, that if the Irish Poor Law medical officers were not properly remunerated, it was the fault, not of the Local Government Board, but of the local authorities. The matter, however, would not be lost sight of. Speaking generally, so far as the Government had been able to form an opinion of the working of the Act, which had been in operation only two months, it was working exceedingly well, and was doing a vast amount of good. It was too soon to form any definite opinion upon the subject.

complained that Scotland, whilst contributing in taxation towards the payment of Sanitary Inspectors for England and Ireland, received nothing from the National Funds for the payment of Sanitary Inspectors in Scotland.

said, the remuneration allowed by the Guardians to be paid to medical men was totally inadequate for the duties they performed, and would prevent the Act from being effectually carried out,

rose to Order, and inquired whether the hon. Member was entitled to speak on a question which was not technically before the House?

This discussion is, no doubt, most unusual. The House has disposed of all the Orders of the Day, and of the various Motions of which Notice has been given; and a Motion having been made that the House on rising do adjourn until Friday, the hon. Member for Drogheda has raised this discussion. I cannot say that it is not open to the hon. Member to bring forward a grievance on such an occasion; but the course which has been adopted would, if usually followed, be productive of the greatest inconvenience.

asked the Secretary of the Admiralty, If he could give any further information relative to H.M.S. "Jackal?"

said, that the officer in command of the Jackal had reported, in reference to the allegation that he had failed to render assistance to fishermen off the Scotch Coast when they were in peril on Friday, 30th July, that after watching the weather he was of opinion there was no immediate reason for apprehension for the safety of the fishing boats in question, and that he believed the application for assistance was made to him by the fish-curers more with the view of getting the fish speedily conveyed to the shore than of their requiring aid. He therefore saw no occasion for it, and did not consider them good authorities on the subject. The Jackal was lying in the part of the harbour which was assigned to her by the authorities of the harbour.