principle were admitted that parliament could legislate
for the university, the right now sought for could not
be refused. He had no doubt that, if there was a
general agreement of opinion adverse to the subject of
this motion, it would be in the power of the universities
to throw serious obstacles in its way; but he thought
the expression of the national opinion through that
house it would not be considered wise or safe to
disregard. This question would be a very difficult one to
deal with, if left to the universities, the head-quarters
of a party which looked with the greatest disfavour
upon the Protestant dissenting interest. With respect
to tests, if any time for them was more objectionable
than another, it was when they were imposed upon
persons whose opinions were necessarily unformed. He
was glad that this subject had been brought before the
house, and hoped the question would be settled now, and
not indefinitely deferred.—The motion was opposed by
Mr. WIGRAM, and supported by Mr. LUCAS, who,
renouncing any claim on the part of the Roman Catholics,
insisted upon the right of Protestant dissenters to
participate in national funds appropriated to national
education.—Mr. W. J. FOX noticed a remarkable omission
in the debate; no speaker, he observed, had assigned a
reason why, morally or intellectually, it was necessary
to require from young men as an educational matter,
subscription to a body of divinity containing some 400
distinct propositions relating to the most abstruse
subjects, about which pious men were ranged on different
sides. He demanded, he said, the admission not only of
dissenters into the university, but of the spirit of nationality,
and that great and distinctive principle of Protestantism,
the right of private judgment in matters of
religion.—Mr. Roundell PALMER denied that this was
a question of any right withheld from, or civil disability
imposed upon, dissenters. The universities, he
contended, were great public schools of religious education
in connexion with the Church of England for the time
being. This was a question, in its large and general
aspect, of the maintenance and existence of the
Established Church, which must have its university, and if
the university were open to dissenters it would be made
unfit for all, or at least unfit for the Established Church.
He looked upon this motion as the first step to a
revolution, which he called upon all who adhered to the
principles of the Established Church to resist.—Lord J.
RUSSELL said, two distinct questions were involved in
the debate,—first, the admission of dissenters into the
University of Oxford; secondly, whether, there being a
bill before the house for the better government of that
university, it was desirable and expedient that such
admission should be enacted by the bill. With respect
to the first, he did not think that any argument of conclusive
weight had been urged against the admission of
dissenters, and he entered at some length into the
reasons which had convinced him of the justice and
expediency of the concession, explaining the extent to which
he thought it should be carried. Upon the second
question, the bill, he observed, tended greatly to the
improvement of the university, opening a door to further
reforms, and he considered it better to retain it in its
present shape. The consequence of inserting this clause,
it was admitted, must involve other clauses containing
the machinery indispensable to the carrying out its
object, which would delay the measure, and it was very
probable it would be lost in the other house of parliament.
The university would have the power under the
bill to make this change, and would be likely to do it
with the more willingness if not under compulsion. If
it was not made, the grievance should not be suffered to
continue, and it would then be right, he considered, to
bring in a bill for the admission of dissenters to the
university.—Upon a division, the motion was carried by
252 to 161—a majority of 91 against the government.—
Mr. HEYWOOD then moved another clause, that it shall
not be necessary for any person, upon taking any of the
degrees in arts, law, or medicine, conferred by the
university, to make or subscribe any declaration, or take
any oath, save the oath (or declaration) of allegiance.—
Lord J. RUSSELL said as the house had declared its
opinion so unequivocally upon the former clause, it was
not his intention to take a division upon this.—Mr.
WALPOLE observed, that this clause raised the question
whether, for the purposes of university government,
nonconformists should be admitted and have a claim to
endowments, and he appealed to the government to
persevere in their opposition to it.—Lord J. RUSSELL
said, if there was a division, he should certainly vote
against the clause.—Another division then took place
with a different result, this clause being negatived by
205 to 196.—Mr. BRIGHT and Mr. HEYWOOD announced
their intention to take the opinion of the house again
upon this second clause at the third reading of the bill.

On Friday, June 23, Sir J. GRAHAM, in answer to a
question respecting the Loss of the Europa, said, that in
consequence of that event, strict injunctions have been
issued by the Board of Admiralty that all smoking, on
the part of either soldiers or sailors, in the lower
deck, which was before prohibited, shall, under the
strictest regulations, be henceforth entirely put down
—because the house will be aware that on the day
preceding the fatal loss of the Europa a fire did
take place upon the lower deck, which was clearly
traced to smoking. Fresh instructions have also
been issued with respect to the stowage of cargo on
board transports; and additional precautions taken in
reference to such articles as oil and coals, which might
be liable to spontaneous combustion, in order to guard
against that danger.

PROGRESS OF BUSINESS

House of Lords.—Tuesday, May 30th.—Railway Navigation
Bill reported with Amendments.—Manning the Navy, and
Navy Pay Bills read a third time and passed.—Common Law
Procedure Bill, read a third time and passed.

Thursday, June 1st.—Railway Navigation Bill recommitted
and reported.

9th.—Income Tax (No. 2) Bill read a second time.

12th.—Exchequer Bonds Bill read a second time.—Railway
Regulation Bill read a third time.—Income Tax (No. 2) Bill
committed.

13th.—Divorce Bill read a second time.—Exchequer Bonds
Bill passed.

15th.—Legislative Council (Canada) Bill read a second
time.—Excise Duties Bill read a second time.

19th.—Lord Lyndhurst's Speech on the Eastern Question.—
Excise Duties Bill read a third time and passed.

22nd.—Encumbered Estates (West Indies) Bill read a second
time.—Church Building Acts Amendment Bill read a third
time and passed.—Public Statues Bill committed.—Witnesses
Bill read a third time and passed.—Custom House Bill read a
third time and passed.

House of Commons.—May 29th.—Bribery Prevention Bills
withdrawn.—Exchequer Bonds (£6,000,000) Bill read a second
time.—Customs Duties (Sugar and Spirits) Bill read a second
time.—Scotch Schoolmasters Bill, leave given Lord Advocate
to bring it in.

June 1st.— Income Tax Bill passed.—Oxford University
Bill in Committee.—Exchequer Bonds Bill committed.

2nd.—Customs Duties (Sugar) Bill committed.—Excise
Duties Bill read a third time and passed.—Public Revenues
and Consolidated Fund Charges Bill committed.—Merchant
Shipping Bill committed.—County and Borough Police Bill
read a first time.

8th.—Minister of War, Lord John Russell's statement.—
Supply: Civil Estimates.—Exchequer Bond Bill read third
time and passed.—Criminal Procedure Bill read a second time.

9th.—Supply: Civil estimates.—Common Law Procedure
Bill read a second time.—Convict Prisons (Ireland) Bill read a
first time.

12th.—Stamp Duties Bill reported.—Supply: Civil Estimates.

13th.—The Ballot, Mr. Berkeley's motion negatived.

14th.—Church Rates Bill withdrawn.—Public Revenue and
Consolidated Charges Bill reported.— Ways and Means, Sugar
Duties.

15th.—Oxford University Bill recommitted.

16th.—Registration of Births (Scotland) Bill in Committee.
—Valuation of Lands (Scotland) Bill committed.—Oxford
University Bill in Committee—Customs Duties (Sugar) Bill
read a third time and passed.—Excise Duties (Sugar) Bill
committed.—Ecclesiastical Courts Bill read a third time and
passed.

19th.—Oxford University Bill reported as amended.—Supply:
Civil Estimates.—Parochial Schoolmasters Bill read a
second time.—Juvenile Offenders Bill read a first time.

20th.—Wreck and Salvage Bill committed.—Baron de Bode,
Mr. Chambers's motion negatived.

21st.— Registration of Bills of Sale Bill committed.—Church
Rate Bill thrown out on second reading.—Bankruptcy (Ire-
land) Bill read a second time.

22nd.—Drainage of Lands Bill committed.—Oxford University
Bill, Mr. Heywood's clause carried against ministers.—
Sugar Duties Bill read a third time and passed.