which were abstracts of the Prison Rules, orders had been issued to keep the male and female prisoners distinct. And in the copy that was sent to be printed the rules were word for word the same, except the portion relating to females. This was a mistake, and their being circulated to Kirkdale and other prisons arose, as he understood, by one of the clerks sending them out before they had been revised by the Commissioners. He need not say that the error had been immediately corrected.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY-THE DEFINI.

TIVE TREATY.-QUESTION.

MR. OTWAY asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the so-called Definitive Treaty between Russia and Turkey has been or will be officially communicated by the contracting Powers to Her Majesty's Government; and, as to an alleged stipulation concerning an indemnity of eight hundred and two and a half million francs, claimed by Russia, whether Her Majesty's Government adhered to the statements of Lord Salisbury in his Despatch inclosing copy of the Treaty of Berlin, viz. :

Clergy Co-operative Association (Limited)," which provides for the carrying on by the clergy of various trades, including grocery, tobacco, wines, spirits, hosiery, tailoring, church furniture, &c., and if the Law Officers of the Crown are of opinion that such trading for profit on the part of the clergy is legal?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir JOHN HOLKER): Sir, my attention has been called to the prospectus of the newly-formed "Clergy Co-operative Association (Limited)," and I have made inquiries with a view to ascertain the constitution of the association and the find that the association is, in fact, a object it is designed to accomplish. I company with limited liability, established under the Joint-Stock Companies' Act, and in this company there are, or are intended to be, a large number of shareholders, some clergymen and others laymen. The objects which the association is designed to carry out are, I am informed, to procure a supply of necessary commodities, such as tobacco, church furniture, and the other articles referred to in the Question, of good quality, and at a fair and reasonable price; to establish a refreshment room; and generally to provide temporal comforts for the members of the society. Now, Sir, such being the constitution of the association and the objects intended to be carried out by it, MR. BOURKE: Sir, I have to state I cannot regard it as in any way a comthat no official copy of the Treaty bination organized for the purpose of between Turkey and Russia has been effecting any unlawful purpose, or any communicated to Her Majesty's Govern- lawful purpose by unlawful means. ment. [Mr. OTWAY: Or will be?] I am not is, therefore, not illegal by the Common able to state whether any copy will be comLaw. There remains, however, the municated. With regard to the second question whether these reverend and Question, the best answer that I can give very reverend gentlemen who are or is to quote the formal declaration of may be members of the association will Prince Gortchakoff, recorded in the Pro-render themselves liable to punishment tocols of Berlin. In the 11th Protocol, by the Ecclesiastical Courts for the when the subject of the indemnity was offence of illegally trading. This is a under consideration, there is the follow-question upon which I do not feel mying entry:

"That it results from these declarations, that Turkey is not internationally bound, and cannot be compelled to pay any portion of the indemnity until the claims of all the creditors of loans anterior to the war have been paid in

full ?"

"Prince Gortchakoff repeats that the indemnity of war will not affect the interests of

the creditors of the Porte."

CLERGY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION.

QUESTION.

MR. BLAKE asked Mr. Attorney General, If his attention has been called to the prospectus of the newly-formed

It

self very competent to give an opinion; whom I have referred will place thembut my belief is that the gentlemen to selves in a position of safety if they do not act as directors or managers of the business, or personally officiate in the store. On this point, however, I would ask leave to refer the hon. Gentleman the Member for Leominster to an Act of 1838-viz., 1 & 2 Vict., c. 106, ss. 29 and 31.

COAL MINES-THE ABERCARNE EX- ISLAND OF CYPRUS-CHART OF SUR

PLOSION.-QUESTION.

MR. MACDONALD asked the Secre

tary of State for the Home Department, If he can give any information as to whether the Ebbw Vale Colliery Company intend to make any further effort at present for the recovery of the two hundred and sixty bodies or thereby that yet lie in the Abercarne mine; whether it be correct that there is no law existing at present to compel owners of mines or public works of any description to make an outlay for the recovery of bodies, the lives of which may have been violently destroyed on their premises; and, whether the Government intend to take any action which would compel employers to restore, if possible, the bodies of those that may have been killed in their works, to their relatives?

VEYS.-QUESTION.

MR. DODSON asked the First Lord

of the Admiralty, Whether he will cause to be placed in the Library or Reading Room of the House a chart showing the results of any surveys of Cyprus, and more particularly of the harbour and road of Famagusta, made since the occupation of the island by the British?

MR. A. F. EGERTON, in reply, said, that a chart of Cyprus would shortly be hung up in the Library, and Papers would be produced giving the results of the surveys.

JOINT STOCK BANKS-LEGISLATION.

QUESTION.

MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, as he has announced the intention on the part of the Government to legislate on the subject of Joint Stock Banks, he will, in consideration of the great anxiety of those interested in those Banks, take the earliest possible opportunity of introducing the Bill, or at least of making public the main features of the proposed legislation?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Sir, I am quite aware of the interest on this subject. I am sorry I cannot at this moment answer the hon. Gentleman's Question; but I hope to be in a position to do so next week if he will put it again.

MR. ASSHETON CROSS: Sir, I was informed by the Inspector, on the 25th of December, that the Chairman of the Company had stated that they could not afford to carry on further the work of recovering the bodies. I at once wrote to the Company expressing my regret at their decision, and saying I was quite sure it would cause great dissatisfaction in the district, and be very painful to the relatives of those who had been lost in the accident, and urging them to do what they could to recover the bodies. They replied that they had already spent £10,000, at great risk to the colliers employed; that to recover the bodies would take 12 or 18 months at £500 aweek; and that in justice to their constituents they could not incur the expense. The Inspector says that, in his opinion, it RIVERS CONSERVANCY AND PREVENwould require about 12 months, at an expense of £25,000 or £30,000. I have written to the Inspector again to press the Company to see what more they can do; but I have no power by law to compel them to proceed, or to furnish them with funds. All I can do is to press them, as I have done.

TION OF FLOODS.-QUESTION. MR. ARTHUR PEEL asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the intention of the Government to deal this Session with the question of River Conservancy and the Prevention of Floods; and, if so, MR. MACDONALD asked if the Go-whether by a separate measure distinct vernment, considering that there was no from the County Boards Bill? law on the subject, would take some action to compel the restoration of the

bodies to the relatives?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS: I cannot bring in a Bill to compel any Company to spend money which they have not got.

MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that the Lord President would before long introduce in the other House a measure dealing with the question referred to by the hon. Gentleman. It would be quite distinct from any measure relating to County Boards.

PRINCE VICEROY OF IRELAND.

QUESTION.

COPYRIGHT BILL-LEGISLATION.

QUESTION.

MR. STACPOOLE asked Mr. Chan- MR. E. JENKINS asked the Postcellor of the Exchequer, Whether there master General, Whether the Governis any, and, if so, what foundation for ment intend to introduce a Copyright the report put forward in several Eng- Bill this Session; and, whether it will lish and Irish newspapers, supporters of embrace all the subjects of Copyright? the Government policy, that Her Majesty's Ministers have resolved upon establishing a Royal residence in Ireland, and that His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught is to succeed the Duke of Marlborough as permanent Prince Viceroy of Ireland?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Sir, I am not aware of any foundation for the report to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I may add that I am not in the confidence of the English and Irish newspapers which he mentions.

IRISH UNIVERSITY EDUCATION—

LEGISLATION.-QUESTION.

THE O'DONOGHUE asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If the House is to consider it as finally settled that the Government will not deal this Session with the question of University Education in Ireland?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Yes, Sir; the Government have decided not to deal with the question this Session.

LORD JOHN MANNERS, in reply, said, the Government intended to introduce a Copyright Bill this Session dealing with all the subjects defined as subRoval Commissioners. jects of Copyright in the Report of the

MR. E. JENKINS stated that he should ask leave to withdraw his own Bill, in order that the passage of the Government Bill might not be in any way obstructed.

THIBET-CHUNG-KING.-QUESTION.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can lay upon the Table of the House any Report made by the Consular Officer sent, in accordance with a separate article to the Chefoo Convention, on a mission of exploration to Thibet; also the Reports made by Mr. Vice Consul Baber on the capabilities of Chung-King for trade; and, whether it is intended to open ChungKing as a place of general trade.

MR. BOURKE: Sir, no Mission has TURKEY-FINANCIAL REFORM-M. DE yet been sent to Thibet, and Mr. Baber

TOCQUEVILLE.-QUESTION.

MR. E. JENKINS asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the Government has any information regarding a project propounded to the Porte by the Marquis de Tocqueville and others, for the reform of the finances of Turkey, with large powers over the Turkish revenues; how far such project would, if adopted, interfere with the provisions of the Anglo- Turkish Convention; and, whether Papers on the subject will be promptly laid upon the Table?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: Sir, I understand from my noble Friend the Foreign Secretary that he has this morning received communication of the project to which the hon. Gentleman refers. But it has been received in a confidential despatch, and he is not aware that he has authority to

MR. DILLWYN asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he can now state whether it is the intention of Government to introduce a Bill to amend the Lunacy Law during the present Session of Parliament?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that the subject of the consolidation of the Lunacy Law was one which, in the opinion of the Government, ought to be taken up. There were other points of law requiring careful con

dealt with at the same time. He would

put himself in communication with the SOUTH AFRICA - THE ZULU WARCommissioners on the subject.

SOUTH AFRICA - THE ZULU WAR-
ARTILLERY REINFORCEMENTS.

QUESTION.

GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR

(for Sir HENRY HAVELOCK) asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will consider the advisability of providing the batteries of Royal Artillery now proceeding to the Cape for service with a heavier gun than the light steel seven-pounder?

COLONEL STANLEY : Sir, the heaviest gun at present in use at the Cape is a 7-pounder, with a Colonial carriage. As a matter of fact, the only demand I can trace for any other kind of gun has been for one of even less weight. But, in order to be on the safe side, one of the batteries under orders for the Cape will take out the 9-pounders with which it is armed; and, if these are not wanted, they will be left in store on their arrival.

THE NATIVE INDIAN ARMY.

QUESTION.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether Her Majesty's Government contemplate. employing any portion of the Native Indian Army in Africa?

COLONEL STANLEY: No, Sir; it is at present not intended to employ any portion of the Native Indian Army in South Africa?

TURKEY-TREATY OF BERLIN.

QUESTION.

MR. W. CARTWRIGHT asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the text of a French tober 21, and relating to the carrying Circular Despatch, bearing date Ocout of the suggestions adopted by the Berlin Congress for settlement of the Greek-Turkish differences is correctly given in "The Times" of January 10; whether, in the event of such Despatch having been received, he will lay it without delay upon the Table; and, whether he will at the same time communicate the reply of Her Majesty's

ARMY (INDIA) - SERVICE IN INDIA. Government to that French Despatch?

QUESTION.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL asked the

Secretary of State for War, If he can be so good as to explain what arrangements have been made for maintaining a sufficient supply of seasoned soldiers in India now that long service recruitment for the Infantry has been discontinued?

COLONEL STANLEY: Sir, this question has been a subject of discussion for a long time. In October last I was enabled to cause an Army Circular to be issued to this effect-that men who have enlisted for six years' service with the Colours who are now under orders, or may hereafter be required for service in India, and who have completed no less than three years of their first term of service, may extend their period with the Colours to nine years on the understanding that, in the event of their battalions being ordered home, they may be transferred to another corps or battalion to complete the term. Of course, they are not to be transferred without their own consent.

MR. BOURKE: Yes, Sir; the text of the French despatch given by The Times is correct in all material points. As negotiations are still in progress, it is not possible, at any rate at present, to lay Papers on the Table.

THE RAILWAY COMMISSION-EX

PENSES.-QUESTION.

MR. HERMON asked the President of the Board of Trade, If he will inform the House what has been the total cost of the Railway Commission during the four years it has been in existence, including salaries of Commissioners, clerks, offices, stationery, and any other expenses incurred by such Commission, and the number of cases submitted to their decision?

VISCOUNT SANDON: Sir, we have been in communication with the Railway Commission on the subject of my hon. Friend's Question, and I shall be happy to give him a Return, stating the facts which he desires to know, if he will move for it.