Lords Sitting of 8 June 1896

Preamble
The House re-assembled after the Whitsun Recess.
GRAY PEERAGE.
Petition of Eveleen Smith for leave to lodge her printed cases; read, and ordered as prayed.
EARL OF GRANARD.
Petition of Bernard Arthur William Patrick Hastings Earl of Granard in the Peerage of Ireland, claiming a right to vote at the elections of Representative Peers for Ireland; read, and referred to the Lord Chancellor to consider and Report thereupon to the House.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
  CHELSEA WATER BILL.
  Brought from the Commons, and (pursuant to the Resolutions of the 4th of July last, as extended by the Order of the 19th of August last, respecting Private and Provisional Order Confirmation Bills) read 1a, and referred to the Examiners.
  LAMBETH WATER BILL.
  Brought from the Commons, and (pursuant to the Resolutions of the 4th of July last, as extended by the Order of the 19th of August last, respecting private and Provisional Order Confirmation Bills) read 1a, and referred to the Examiners.
  LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY BILL.
  Read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.
  UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE ACT, 1877.
  Statutes, passed on the 22nd January 1896, and sealed on the 11th February 1896, to alter and amend Statutes III., Clause 32, and XV. of the Statutes of New College, Oxford, in the matter of (a) tenure of rooms by Fellows, and (b) application of Pension Fund; laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and to be printed.—[No. 112.]

  WAR IN THE SOUDAN.
  THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNsaid that, seeing the noble Marquess the Secretary for War in his place, he wished to ask him a question of which he had given him private notice—namely, whether he could give the House any further information with regard to the engagement which took place yesterday morning in the Soudan, in which the Dervish forces were defeated by the Egyptian Army; and he wished further to ask him particularly whether he could give the House any information with regard to the Dervish forces, because, both as regarded the number of those forces and their composition, the statements which had appeared were not very clear.
  THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (the MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE): Perhaps I had better read the telegrams which have been received from the Sirdar with regard to the engagement to which the noble Earl refers. The first telegram, which is dated yesterday, runs as follows:—
  "I occupied Ferkeh this morning. The Dervishes were surprised, and showed a considerable amount of resistance. Our mounted troops made a very successful turning movement whilst we attacked with three brigades in front and turned them out of successive positions, which they defended gallantly. We have captured the entire camp and all in it, comprising horses, camels, donkeys, provisions, etc., as well as a number of prisoners. Our casualties are small, and do not include any English officers. Nothing could have been more satisfactory than the conduct of all troops engaged."
  There is another telegram of to-day's date, also from the Sirdar:—
  "Our casualties are one British officer, Captain Legge, 20th Hussars, sword wound; not severe. Twenty Egyptain Army killed and 80 wounded; of the latter eight are Egyptain

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  officers. Hospital has been established for wounded. Several cases, though severe, are doing well. The enemy's loss included the Emir Hammuda, who commanded, killed, and several other Emirs of importance, as well as, according to my estimate, 800 horse and foot killed. The mounted troops are still pursuing, so that this estimate may be increased later."
  There is a later telegram to-day:—
  "Number of prisoners now amounts to almost 450, and I have little doubt more will be taken."
  My hon. Friend questions me with regard to the composition of the Dervish force thus successfully engaged. We are without precise information as to the size of the force which has been defeated by the Sirdar, but it is clearly larger than the advanced post which held Ferkeh a month ago. It was reported early in May that the bulk of the Dongola force was then at Mograka, and between Mograka and Suarda, places distant respectively about 26 and 50 miles from Akasheh. The force which had been thus detached from Dongola was described as consisting of 700 Baggara horsemen, 2,000 riflemen, 1,500 Baggara footmen, and between 3,000 and 4,000 other Arabs. All these were under the command of Emir Hammuda, a well-known Dervish leader, who has fallen in the recent engagement. It seems, therefore, probable that a considerable part, at all events, of the Dongola force was engaged.

  TODD'S DIVORCE BILL [H.L.]
  Amendment reported (according to Order): A further Amendment made; and Bill to be read 3a To-morrow.

  SCOVELL'S DIVORCE BILL [H.L.]
  Amendment reported (according to Order).
  LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNEsuggested that the House ought to have more explanation of the Amendment.
  THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY): said it was purely a formal Amendment, and followed the rules of the House.
  Bill to be read 3a to-morrow.

  STANNARIES BILL [H.L.]
  Read 3a (according to Order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.

  DISPENSARY COMMITTEES (IRELAND) BILL.
  On the Order for Third Reading,
  LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNEsaid he could not possibly see why the Bill had been brought forward. He lived in the poorest part of Ireland, and he could say that the Poor Law worked exceedingly well. There was not the slightest complaint, and it was carried out with great benefit to the poor. It might be useless, but he should move that the Bill be rejected.
  THE EARL OF RANFURLYsaid he explained the Bill on the Second Reading. It was simply a Bill to enable the Local Government Board to fix the franchise at whatever value they chose, and no one had objected to it. It was well known that the franchise in this case was higher than that for Boards of Guardians.
  LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNEsaid the noble Lord was perfectly aware that there were others than guardians on the dispensary committees. He could only say that there had been no complaints as to the working of these committees, though there might be a doctor who was difficult to manage now and then.
  Read 3a (according to Order), with the Amendment, and passed, and returned to the Commons.

  BISHOPRIC OF BRISTOL ACT AMENDMENT BILL [H.L.]
  A Bill to amend the Bishopric of Bristol Act, 1884, was presented by the Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cross); Read 1a; to be printed; and to be Read 2a on Thursday the 18th instant.—[No. 113.]

  MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER BILL [H.L.]
  A Bill to amend the law as to marriage with a deceased wife's sister was presented by the Duke of Saint Albans (for

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  the Lord Kenry (Earl Dunraven and Mount-Earl)); Read 1a; and to be printed.—[No. 114.]

  FISHERIES ACTS (NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK) AMENDMENT BILL.
  Read 1a; and to be printed.—[No. 115.]
  House adjourned at a quarter before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, half past Five o'clock.