Lords Sitting of 26 January 1860

MINUTES.
Sat First in Parliament.—The Lord Hastings, after the Death of his Father. Took the Oath—The Lord Ward.

VOTE OF THANKS TO GOVERNOR GENERAL OF INDIA, ETC.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR THE LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That he had received a Letter from The Earl Canning, Viceroy and Governor General of the British Possessions in the East Indies, dated Government House, Calcutta, 12th July, 1859, inclosing a General Order by his Excellency in Council: also, a Letter from The Earl Canning, dated Fort William, 23rd July, 1859, inclosing a Letter from Lieutenant General Sir James Outram, Bart, G.C.B., dated Calcutta, 16th July, 1859: also Three Letters from The Earl Canning, dated Fort William, 22nd August, 1859, inclosing a Letter from Major General Sir Hope Grant, dated Lucknow, 6th August, 1859; a Letter from Major General Mansfield, dated Simla, 9th August, 1859; and a Letter from the Hon. Sir Robert Montgomery, K.C.B., dated Meerut, 9th August, 1859: also, Two Letters from The Earl Canning, dated Fort William, 8th September, 1859, inclosing a Letter from Brigadier Walpole, dated Bareilly, 17th August, 1859, and a Letter from Major General Whitlock, dated Saugor, 19th August, 1859: also a Letter from The Earl Canning, dated Nawabgunge, 19th October, 1859, inclosing a Letter from Lord Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay, dated Poona, 4th October, 1859: and also, a Letter from The Earl Canning, dated Futtehgurh, 14th November, 1859, inclosing a Letter from Sir Robert N. C. Hamilton, Bart., late Agent to the Governor General of Central India, dated Avon Cliffe, Stratford-on-Avon, 17th September, 1859: In return to the Thanks of this House and to the Resolutions of the 14th of April, 1859, communicated to them in obedience to Orders of this House of the said 14th of April:
The said Letters being read, were Ordered to lie on the Table; and to be entered on the Journals.

ITALY—QUESTION.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYgave notice that he would to-morrow ask Whether any information had been received as to the existence of the negotiations be-
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tween Sardinia and France, alluded to in the French ministerial journals for the annexation of the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice to the dominions of the empire of France; and gave notice that he should raise a discussion on the subject to-morrow. The noble Marquess proceeded to say, that he would take that opportunity of correcting a misapprehension which had arisen, owing probably to the accidental failure of his voice, as to his observations on the affairs of Italy the other night. It was true, as had been reported, that he expressed his opinion that the different countries of Central Italy ought not to be subject to any foreign intervention, either on the side of change or against it. He was supposed to mean that he trusted that England would not interfere forcibly on one side any more than Austria on the other. His noble Friend near him (Lord Brougham) heard him, and could confirm his present statement, that what he did really say was, that he trusted that Sardinia, in reference to anything that touched upon territorial limits, would be considered a foreign country as well as Austria, and that whenever the time came for the different States of Central Italy to be called upon to decide upon their future condition they would be able to act according to the free and independent voice of each State, subject neither to the armed intervention or the secret intrigues of Sardinia or any other Power.
LORD BROUGHAMconcurred in the accuracy of the noble Marquess's explanation, as a matter of memory. The noble Marquess held that Sardinia should be taken to be a foreign country as much as Austria was a foreign country, and that Austria should no more be regarded as a foreign country than Sardinia. He (Lord Brougham) by no means admitted that Sardinia was a foreign Power as France was, for all the Sardinian territories were in Italy, whereas Austria and France had the bulk of their territories out of Italy, and could not, therefore, be reckoned Italian. He certainly was decidedly of opinion that the best thing that could happen to the Italians would be, that they should join themselves under Sardinia—under Sardinia—and form a great Italian Power, not a Power of Central Italy, but a Power of Northern Italy, which would not only defend Italy, but resist Austria, and even it might be resist France.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, he would not prolong the discussion by in-

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quiring how far his noble and learned Friend's present project was cither practicable or desirable. He heard it with some surprise. At the same time he could not concur in the reason given for it, that all the Sardinian territories were in Italy. That is not the case, and would not he so unless the cession of Savoy to France, on which he was about to ask a question to-morrow, was a fait accompli. He was glad, however, again to hear his noble and learned Friend state that he concurred to this extent, that Sardinia should not exercise any influence upon the decision of other independent States.

THE QUEEN'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.
The LORD STEWARD of the HOUSEHOLD (the Earl ST. GERMANS)brought up the following gracious Message from HER MAJESTY in Answer to the Address:—
MY LORDS,
I thank you for your loyal and dutiful Address.
It will afford Me sincere Satisfaction to co-operate with you in your Endeavours to improve the Law, to extend the Commerce, and to strengthen the Institutions of the Country.

COURT OF CHANCERY BILL.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR presented a Bill for improving the procedure of the Court of Chancery, which had been found necessary owing to one of the greatest improvements ever effected in that Court— namely, the abolition of the Masters in Chancery—a measure first suggested many years ago by his noble and learned Friend (Lord Brougham). Those gentlemen had performed their duties, so far as the system would allow them, in a very exemplary manner; but under that system suitors were kept oscillating between the Lord Chancellor and the Masters, and vast delay and ruinous expense were the result. One of the rules of the Masters was that they would never hear a cause for more than one hour at a time, and after the first hearing the hour was almost spent in recapitulating the proceedings which had taken place before, so that a cause which should have occupied but a few days lasted nearly as many years. A Bill at length passed, by which the Masters' Offices were abolished, and Chief Clerks
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were appointed who should act under the Judges, and for whose proceedings the Judges should be held responsible. That was found a salutary alteration, and one which had greatly expedited the transaction of business. Some of the functions performed by the Masters, however, such as taking notice of persons committed for contempt of the Court and pauper defendants were not provided for by the measure then passed. The Bill he now presented remedied these omissions. It provided that the Solicitor to the Suitors' Fund should be the officer whose duty it should be to visit the Queen's Prison and examine the prisoners therein confined for contempt, and report to the Lord Chancellor, and to be the ex officio solicitor to pauper defendants, and to lunatic prisoners; It provided also for an additional salary to be paid to the solicitor for the performance of these duties. The Bill provided also for the custody of deeds in the care of the late Masters; and for the appointment of an additional Chief Clerk, and two junior Clerks to the Master of the Rolls, who, however, might be transferred to any of the Vice-Chancellors if business should require it.
Bill, to make better Provision for the Relief of Prisoners in Contempt of the High Court of Chancery and Pauper Defendants; and for the more efficient Despatch of Business in the said Court, read 1a.
House adjourned at half-past five o'clock, till To morrow half-past Four o'clock.