NARRATIVE OF PARLIAMENT AND POLITICS

IN the HOUSE OF LORDS, on Tuesday, July 31, Lord
BROUGHAM drew attention to the Withdrawal of the
Grant of £1000 a-year to the Royal Society. He
contended there never had been in the history of this
country anything like the amount of good produced by
the expenditure of so small a sum as in this instance, for
the judicious application of this moderate grant to the
Royal Society had resulted in the greatest benefits to
science and art.—Earl GRANVILLE said that the state
of the case of the Royal Society was this. In 1850 the
society applied for a grant, which was given, but out of
a fund particularly applicable to charitable purposes.
This year the president wrote for a renewal of the
grant, but the reply of the Lords of the Treasury was
to the effect that, having received the application of the
society, their lordships were not aware that there had
been any understanding that they should have an
annual grant from the public funds; but he might say
that the application would meet with serious and most
favourable consideration from government.

On Friday, August 3, the Earl of CLARENDON, in
moving the second reading of the Turkish Loan Bill,
answered at some length the objections which had been
brought against the plan adopted by the French and
English governments. The noble earl stated that the
Turkish government had acted in the most open and
straightforward manner, and expressed the greatest
confidence in its being able to meet all its engagements.
With respect to the doubts which had been cast upon
the honour and good faith of the French government,
he felt almost ashamed even to allude to them. Such
arrangements had been made that it was impossible that
so unlikely a contingency could arise.—The Earl of
ELLENBOROUGH entered into an elaborate review of the
whole policy of the war, especially with respect to the
position of the German powers and the Principalities,
and, in conclusion, severely criticised the operations in
the East.—Lord PANMURE defended the course pursued
by government from the criticisms of Lord Ellenborough,
and after some observations from the Earl of
Hardwick, which were answered by Earl Granville, the
hill was read a second time.

On Monday, August 6, the Sale of Beer Bill was
read a second time, the standing orders having been
suspended.

In committee on the Turkish Loan Bill, Lord ST.
LEONARDS said, that before making a loan of this kind
to the Turkish government it would be necessary to
satisfy themselves that the war was a just and necessary
one on the part of this country, and that the government
had not the opportunity to make a safe and honourable
peace without continuing the war. After entering into
the question of the recent negotiations, he said he did
not understand how any person who had advocated the
war at its commencement should be found to argue in
favour of its conclusion at the present juncture. He
had certain objections to the form in which this assistance
had been rendered to Turkey, and without having
the least doubt of the good faith of the French
government, he should have preferred a direct subsidy
administered under the control of her Majesty's government,
equipping and maintaining the Turkish army in
a state of efficiency.—The Earl of CLARENDON
complimented Lord St. Leonards on the good spirit in which
his remarks had been made. He had expressed his
opinion that a subsidy to Turkey would have been the
better course to have adopted, and he (Lord Clarendon)
was far from thinking that a subsidy might not have
been an effective mode of proceeding. He was also far
from saying that if the war lasted long, government
might not be compelled to resort to that system which
had become so repugnant to the people of this country.
But it was neither the bill nor the convention, but the
bonds which would be issued, which would give to the
creditor the real security and the power to enforce the
payment of the guarantee. Those bonds would recite
the English and French laws which gave effect to the
guarantee, and would strictly define the responsibility
of the two governments.—After a few remarks from the
LORD CHANCELLOR as to the legal effect to be given to
the French words "conjointement " and "solidairement,"
the bill passed through committee.

On Tuesday, August 7, Lord STANLEY of Alderley
moved that the Limited Liability Bill having
been introduced and passed by the House of
Commons, in conformity with a unanimous resolution
of that house, although its progress had been delayed
by the lengthened discussions on the conduct of the
war, which prevented its being sent up to this
house at an earlier period, yet as great inconvenience
was being experienced from the suspension of many
undertakings of great importance, in the anticipation of
parliament legislating on the subject, the circumstances
rendered legislation on the subject of such urgency as
to make its immediate consideration necessary. He then
directed attention to the various steps that had been
taken with reference to this measure in the other house
of parliament, and to the fact that it had gone through
that house without any opposition, except of a very
slight and insignificant nature.—Lord REDESDALE
considered that no case of urgency had been made out by
Lord Stanley which would justify the house in agreeing
to the second reading of this bill at the present time.
He never knew an instance where a bill was proceeded
with at so late a period of the session, when a difference
of opinion amongst leading members of the house
induced them to ask for a postponement of it.—Lord
LYTTELTON would vote against the resolution, although he
strongly approved of the principle of the measure; but
he had been told that the details were much wanting in
those guards and securities that were necessary.—Earl
GRANVILLE did not think that any objection would
have been made to the course which the government
proposed to take that night. When his noble friend
proposed the order of the house last year, the then
prime minister pointed out the inconvenience that
would arise from adopting arbitrarily a rule of this
kind. After commenting on the absence of the powerful
members of the opposition, who he said had had
ample time to come to town if they intended to oppose
the measure, Lord Granville observed that if their
lordships wished for a discussion of the bill, there could
be an adjourned debate on the second reading, and a
full consideration of its provisions in committee. He
could only say that if they desired to have a delay of a
few days, to enable them to have that discussion, there
would be no objection on the part of the government.—
Earl GREY was greatly astonished when he heard that
government had given notice of their intention to
propose the motion which had been moved that evening.