NEWS OF THE WEEK.
AT length we are quit of the Reform Bill for a month. The Measure has been read a second time, aril the Committee has been fixed for the 4th of June, a remote period that provoked the laughter of the Opposition. _ But the fact is evident that, by adopting the Fabian .policy in which they glory, they have caused masses of public business to -accumulate, which it will occupy all the intervening period to overtake. Delay'of public business—that is the net result of the debate on the Reform Bill.
For.the six nights of discuasion devoted to the subject leave us pretty much where we were in February. We have near17 forgotten the earlier speeches, but we have a strong impression that they resemble the later speeches, and that, practically, no way has been made. - And well may it be so. The very pro- eeeding is without precedent. No measure was ever debated before for six nights without a definite issue, to be followed by a division. The course pursued by the Opposition is not calcu- lated to raise them in the opinion of the country ; and that is no source of gratification to us, for a 'strong and well-conducted Conservative party is essential to the preservationof our liberties.
The debate of this week-has only been an amplification of the tactics adopted before Easter. It was known that gentlemen of the stamp of those who tried to blOck up the entrance of the House and effect an :illegitimate ..count out, were ready and willing to speak against time, if they could catch the Speaker's eye. Many succeeded in so doing, and thus Monday was spent. Then, Lord Palmerston intimated that he should divide on Thursday, if the Fabian policy were persisted in. Something like a trial of endurance was anticipated, but the intimation of the Minister seems to have produced a proper effect at the head quarters of the Opposition. The House debated the average time; there was the usual attempt to " count out" during dinner time ; Mr. Walpole made a, solid but perplexed speech ; Mr. Gladstone delivered a powerful oration, which told upon his opponents and will tell upon the country. Then Mr. Collins, one of the four-and-twenty who follow the Conservative Fabian, essayed to ,carry out the prearranged policy. But he was too weak for the place, and succumbed before the cries of a House in no humour to tolerate any more speaking against time. The Speaker put the question' declared the ".Ayes" had it, and the long debate was over. But, judging from the terms of Mr. Mackinnon's notice of motion, and some hints in Mr. Walpole's speech, we are led to infer that the Opposition intends to resume the policy of delay on the motion for going into committee. Should that be so, a further experiment will be made on the temper of the country, and the firmness of the Government. Unless the Ministry resist Mr. Disraeli's insidious tactics at the outset, and stake something on the carrying of their bill into committee, the Conservatives will avail themselves of the weak- ness of the Government, and the insidious tactics may succeed.
Both Houses have discussed the present state of the Navy. Lord Lyndhurst's speech, characterized by his usual ability, and less than his usual accuracy, did good service by eliciting a " satisfactory" answer from the Duke of Somerset. The two sub- jects in dispute are ships and men. Have we an adequate fleet ? The answer to this is that we have 50 screw line-of-battle ships afloat, 38 frigates, and a swarm of smaller vessels. But from the swarm we are warranted by recent. disclosures in deducting a large pdrtion of the 169 gunboats, as they have proved to be rotten. Making this deduction, ro
ietion, We stand well in regard to large ships. The Frewili have 33 screw line-of-battle ships afloat, and 8 building. They have one frigate more than we have, and a large number building. Seeing our eomparative.weakness in smaller ships, tpe Admiralty is exerting itself to forward the building of vessele'of that class ; a prudent Coarse. Then as to men. Here the account is not less satisfactory,.. The First Lord reckons up a reserve of 14,800; he tells us' that 5000 men in excess of the vote haie- been raised and retained, an additional rote being -taken to cover.the expense; he assures us-that 1000 fine seamen haVe joined the Royal Naval Reserve ; and that about 8000 boys are in course of training in our fleet. As the manning arrange- ments are in course of reconstruction, and as the Admiralty in- tend to carry out the recommendations of the Manning Commis- Bien, we may trust that the foundations for obtaining a perma- nent supply of men are now laid. The speech of Sir Charles Napier in the House of Commons, not different from the many speeches he has delivered of late, can do no good. On the con- trary, these speeches do harm, and tend to promote the insubor- dination he deprecates.
The National system of education in Ireland has been discussed in th,e House of Lords. Its opponents have become querulous coMplainers, and there are gratifying signs of .weakness on that- side. The Uppei House has also agreed to go into Conimittee on Lord Chelmsford's questionable bill to prevent %Imlay Trading. If it pass at all it must be greatly altered.. Lord Raynham; in the Lower House, has carried a flogging bill through' a second reading. This is another well-meaning but questionable measure. He proposes that magistrates shall in- flict fifty babes upon anY„hrute.,who beats his wife"; and one hundred and fifty for the - second offence ; and he doubles the maximunr.of imprisonment for the first and triplei it for the second offence. The question is, whether the measure, iCen- forced, would not render the conviction of these cowards more difficult, and would not create greater evils than those it seeks to suppress.
The Attorney-General has directed criminal informations to be
filed against Mr. Leath-am and Mr. Charlesworth, for bribery and corruption at Wakefield. This is a step in the right direction. The House of Commons, in the face of a determinedopposition, hai adopted an address, praying her Majesty to issue a commission to inquire into the last Berwick election ; a subject we have dealt with- in another column. Eiery one must be struck, how- ever, with the spectacle of Tory zeal displayed in hostility to this inquiry'; and one is curious to know " the reason why."
