Earl Grey. The sooner we returned to Lord Glenelg's
policy the better. The vote was then agreed to.

In reply to a question from Colonel ROMILLY, relative
to the proposition for granting County Franchise to the
Militia, Mr. WALPOLE stated that he intended to withdraw
it altogether, although he had thought it would have
served three good purposes—first, to induce respectable
men to volunteer for the militia; second, to insure
continuous residence; and, thirdly, to reward the service
done to the public by volunteering into the militia.
Mr. Walpole stated that the proposition originated with
himself, but Mr. C. WILLIAMS declared that it simply
originated in a bad after-dinner joke of Lord Derby's
which the Home Secretary was sufficiently ill-advised
to adopt as a serious proposal for extending the
franchise.

In committee on the Corrupt Practices at Elections
Bill, Mr. WALPOLE proposed an amendment limiting
the inquiries of the commission, but it was strenuously
opposed, and on a division the government were in a
minority—99 voting for ministers, and 116 against them.

On Tuesday, April 6, Mr. M. GIBSON inquired whether
it was intended to take steps to place the Relations
between this Country and the Brazils on a more
satisfactory footing, and whether they contemplated any
result from the joint action of the governments of
France and England with reference to the free
navigation of the internal water communication connected
with the River Plate.—The CHANCELLOR of the
EXCHEQUER replied that Sir C. Hotham, on the part of her
Majesty, in conjunction with the Chevalier de St.
George, would proceed on the 16th upon a visit of
friendly communication and explanation to Rio, and it
was hoped that the mission would succeed in obtaining
the free navigation of the river for all countries.

Mr. G. THOMPSON moved to go into committee to
consider the introducing a bill for establishing a
registration office for the benefit of the Ballast- Heavers of
the Port of London.—Mr. Henley did not offer any
opposition to this first stage of the measure, the details
of which he had not seen; but, there were, he observed,
difficulties in its way, amongst which was its tendency
to create another monopoly.—Mr. LABOUCHERE agreed
that the house ought to legislate with great jealousy and
caution upon these subjects, since it was against
principle, and he recommended that the matter should be
previously inquired into before a select committee.—
Mr. GLADSTONE suggested that the appointment of a
select committee should precede the introduction of the
bill, and Lord J. MANNERS that after the second reading
the bill should be referred to a select committee.—The
motion was then agreed to, and the house, in committee,
adopted a resolution that leave be obtained to bring in a
bill, which was granted.

The house went into committee upon the County
Courts Extension Bill; but, after a good deal of
discussion as to the expediency of going on with this bill
pending the expected measure for the reform of the
Court of Chancery, it was determined that the chairman
should report progress, with a view to reprinting the
bill with its amendments.—The house then adjourned to
the 19th inst.

On Monday, the 19th, the house met after the holidays.
—The Attorney-General obtained leave to
introduce a bill to dispense with the summoning of
Grand Juries in the Metropolitan Districts, and to
effect other amendments in the criminal law.

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of CONTROL, in
moving the appointment of the select committee to
inquire into the operation of the act of 1834 for the
Better Government of our Indian Territory, explained
the various alterations made in the powers of the East
India Company by the acts of 1784, 1793, 1813, and
lastly that of 1833, when the trading powers of the
company were entirely abolished. That act, he said, was to
exist for forty years, and amongst the conditions upon
which the East India Company made the immense
sacrifice which that act required at their hands, was
this, that their stock of six millions, which they had
lent to the public, should not be subject to redemption
until 1874, but that, if during this period of forty years,
parliament should take from the company the privilege
of being the agents for the government and administration
of the affairs of India (which of course involved
what they had always possessed, the patronage to all
appointments), they should have the right to demand
the redemption of their stock at the rate of £200 for
every £100. Government finding that unless some
provision for the renewal of the act was made previous to
1854, it must expire in due course, had three courses
open to them—to allow the act to expire, to renew it as
it was without further inquiry, or to propose an investigation
by means of a select committee of both houses, as
a preparatory step to legislation. They had, adopting
the views of their predecessors, determined on the
latter alternative. To enable the house to judge of the
effects of the act of 1833, he referred to the progress
India had made since that period, financially,
commercially, and administratively. The total revenue had
increased from £18,407,000 to £24,379,000, and though
the charge had increased from eighteen to twenty-
five millions, leaving a deficiency of £6,780,000, India
had herself contributed £16,000,000 out of the £36,000,000
which the wars in Afghanistan, Scinde, and the Punjaub
had cost. The imports had increased in the same period
from 6,154,000 to 12,544,000, and the exports from
8,000,000 to 18,000,000—the inward tonnage from 108,873
to 252,153, and the outward tonnage from 83,776
to 180,800; and the territory had been extended by
165,000 square miles, containing a population of not
less than 9,000,000. At no former time had our Indian
empire stood upon so secure a footing, or in a position so
well calculated to develope its resources. In the
administration of affairs every disposition had been exhibited
to promote the natives to posts of public employment,
and to fit them for it by providing the means of
education. The number of natives employed at present
in administrative offices was 2,846, independent of those
who were engaged in dispensing justice in the various
courts of law. In 1835, the only educational
institutions endowed by government in British India, were
the Mahometan College at Calcutta and the Sanscrit
College at Benares; now there were forty such
establishments in Bengal and the north-western provinces,
wherein the education given was of the highest character.
Many important works, as roads, canals, and river
navigations, had been completed or were being carried
out, which works had absorbed far more than the whole
amount by which the gross expenditure exceeded the
revenue. Provision for the spiritual care of India had
also been made, and the number of bishops and chaplains
now reached 130, besides six connected with the Scotch
church. It would be a subject for the committee to
consider how far the East India Company should
continue to possess the power they now had of dispensing
the patronage of the Indian government; but he denied
that at present that patronage was improperly exercised.
After describing the relative powers of the board of
control and the court of directors, and explaining that in
all the political affairs of the empire the latter were
controlled by the former, he concluded by referring to the
committee the question, whether the act, which he had
shown by the result had worked well during the last
twenty years, should be renewed or not.—Mr. ANSTEY
moved an amendment by way of an address,
representing the lateness of the session and the necessity of
obtaining information from India itself as to the
condition and wishes of the natives before renewing the act,
or passing any other measure on the subject, and praying
that a commission of inquiry be sent to India.—Remarks
were made by several members, particularly Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, who said that he was not dissatisfied with the
experience of the present system; under the act of 1833
he believed this country had performed its duty to
India—the people had been protected from the tyranny
of petty kings, justice had been impartially administered,
education had been promoted, and political
morality disseminated—and, therefore, in its main
features, he was favourable to its renewal.—The motion
for appointing the committee was agreed to, the amendment
being negatived without a division.

On Tuesday, the 20th, Mr. HORSMAN brought forward
the case of the Rev. Mr. Bennett, by moving an address
to her Majesty, praying that inquiry might be made,
whether due respect was paid to the decrees of the
constitutions and canons ecclesiastical of the Church of