Lords Sitting of 12 August 1898

Preamble
THE LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at half-past Eleven of the Clock.
RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  COLONIES (MISCELLANEOUS).
  No. 11. Grenada: Report on agriculture in Carriacou; presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  LUNACY.
  Report to the Lord Chancellor of the number of visits made, the number of patients seen, and the number of miles
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  travelled by the visitors of lunatics, pursuant to the Lunacy Act, 1890, between 1st January and 30th June, 1898; laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE.
  Account of the receipts and expenditure of the Paymaster-General on behalf of the Supreme Court of Judicature, in respect of the funds of suitors of the Court in the year ended 28th February, 1898; also account of the National Debt Commissioners for the same period in respect of funds held by them on behalf of the Supreme Court of Judicature; together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon; laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
  Standing Order No. XXXIX. considered (according to order), and suspended for this day's sitting.
  CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION) BILL.
  Brought from the Commons, and read the first time; then (Standing Order No. XXXIX. having been suspended) Bill read the second time (The Earl Walde-grave): Committee negatived; Bill read the third time, and passed.
  PRIVATE BILL PROCEDURE (SCOTLAND) BILL.
  Reports, etc., of the Select Committees of the House of Commons communicated pursuant to Messages of yesterday, and to be printed. [No. 211.]
  TELEPHONES.
  Reports, etc., of the Select Committees of the House of Commons communicated pursuant to Messages of yesterday, and to be printed. [No. 212.]
  MUSEUMS OF THE SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT.
  Reports, etc., of the Select Committees of the House of Commons communicated pursuant to Messages of to-day, and to be printed. [No. 213.]

  MONEY LENDING.
  Reports, etc., of the Select Committees of the House of Commons communicated pursuant to Messages of yesterday, and to be printed. [No. 214.]
  House adjourned during pleasure.
  House resumed at half-past Two of the Clock.

PROROGATION.
The Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod (Captain Butler) was despatched to desire the attendance of the Commons at the Bar to hear the Royal Commission read.
Mr. SPEAKER, accompanied by the Serjeant-at-Arms, bearing the Mace, by the Chaplain (Canon Wilberforce), and a number of honourable Members, having appeared at the Bar, the Royal Commission was read by the Clerk at the Table.
The following Bills received the Royal Assent:—Consolidated Fund (Appropriation); Vexatious Actions (Scotland); Parish Fire Engines; London University Commission; Vagrancy Act Amendment; Benefices (No. 2); Circuit Clerks of Justiciary (Scotland); Prisons; Customs and Inland Revenue; Universities and College Estates; Libraries (Offences); Evidence in Criminal Cases; Local Government (Ireland); Metropolitan Common Poor Fund; Merchant Shipping (Mercantile Marine Fund); Trusts (Scotland); Vaccination; Local Taxation Accounts (Scotland); Out-door Relief (Ireland); Seed Supply and Potato Spraying (Ireland); Kingstown Harbour Roads Transfer; Metropolitan Commons; Expiring Laws Continuance; Public Works Loans; Habitual Inebriates; Nonconformist Marriages (Attendance of Registrars); Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation); Post Office (Local Authority Guarantee); Education Department Provisional Order Confirmation (London); Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 5); Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 7); Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 8); Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 15); Tramways Orders Confirmation (No. 1); Tramways Orders Confirmation (No. 3); Local Government. Provisional Order (No. 10); Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 13); Metropolitan Common Scheme (East Sheen) Provisional Order; Military Lands Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 2); India Office (Store Depot); Buckie (Cluny) Harbour; Great North of Scotland Railway; Newhaven and Seaford Water; Exeter, Teign Valley, and Chagford Railway; Sheffield Corporation; London County Council

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(General Powers); London County Council (Money); Mid-Kent Water; Sheffield District Railway; Carlisle Corporation Water; Forres Water; Newcastle-upon-Tyne Corporation; North British Railways; Portsmouth Corporation Tramways; Filey Water and Gas; Newcastle and Gateshead Water; Devonport and District Tramways; Chelsea Electricity Supply; London and North-Western Railway; Metropolitan Electric Supply; Rochdale Corporation Water; Seaham Harbour; Wath-upon-Dearne Urban District Council; Windsor and Ascot Railway; Heywood Corporation Water; Tod-morden Corporation Water; Bolton, Tur-ton, and Westhoughton Extension; Glasgow Corporation (Sewage, etc.); Knott End Railway; Rhymney and Aber Valleys Gas and Water; Kingstown and Kingsbridge Junction Railway (Abandonment); Mersey Railway; Lancashire, Derbyshire, and East Coast Railway; Lincoln and East Coast Railway and Dock; Middlesex County Council; Liverpool Corporation; Fishguard and Ross-lare Railways and Harbours; Great Central Railway; Great Western Railway (New Works); Keighley Corporation; London United' Tramways; Paignton Improvement; St. Helens Corporation; West Ham Corporation; Wey Valley Water; Whitechapel and Bow Railway; Cardiff Railway.

QUEEN'S SPEECH.
THE LORD CHANCELLORread Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech, "in Her Majesty's own words":—
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"My relations with other nations continue to be friendly. I have witnessed with the deepest sorrow the hostilities that have taken place between Spain and the United States, two nations to whom my Empire is bound by many ties of affection and tradition. The negotiations which have recently been opened give a fair ground for hoping that this deplorable conflict will speedily be brought to a termination by the conclusion of an honourable and enduring peace.
"Changes which have taken place in the territorial relations of other Powers with the Chinese Empire have induced me to conclude agreements by which the Harbour of Wei-hai-Wei, and certain positions adjacent to my Colony of Hong Kong, have been leased to me by the Emperor of China. I trust that these arrangements will conduce to the maintenance of his independence and the security of his Empire, and will be favourable to the development of the extensive commerce which is carried on between the people of Great Britain and China.
"In concert with the Emperor of Russia and the President of the French Republic, I have consented to guarantee a loan to enable the King of Greece to satisfy the stipulations of the recent Treaty of Peace between himself and the Sultan. The evacuation of Thessaly has, in pursuance of that Treaty, been duly carried into effect.
"After lengthened negotiations, I have had great satisfaction in concluding with the Government of the French Republic a Convention, by which the numerous questions of territorial and commercial rights in West Africa, which had been for years in dispute between the two countries, have been finally settled.
"This Convention is subject to ratification by the French Chambers, but, in the meantime, both Governments have instructed their officials to confine their occupation to the places and territories which, under the Convention, have been recognised as belonging to their respective countries.
"Arrangements have been made for the establishment, at an early date, of a penny postage between the United Kingdom, my Dominion of Canada, my Colonies of Newfoundland, the Cape of Good Hope, and Natal, and other parts of my Empire.
"In certain portions of Western India and in a small district of the Punjauk the plague, though it has abated during

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the hot weather, still exists, and a few cases have occurred in other parts of the country. My officers have done all that lies in their power to relieve the victims of the epidemic, and to arrest its growth. I am thankful that bountiful harvests have been gathered throughout the greater part of India, and that the internal and external trade of the country is rapidly recovering from the depression caused by the famine of the preceding year.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the defence of my Empire. The sacrifices which have been asked of you are severe, but they are not greater than the exigencies of the present time require. I am glad to recognise the value of the provisions to which you have assented for increasing the strength and efficiency of the Army.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"I have seen with much gratification that you have this year added to the Statute Book an important Measure for assimilating the local institutions of Ireland to those of England and Scotland. I trust that this valuable reform will tend to strengthen the bonds which unite the people of Great Britain and of Ireland, and to increase their common affection to the fundamental institutions of the Realm.
"I have seen also with satisfaction that among the many important Bills which you have passed are to be found the Bill for the reconstitution of the University of London, the Bill for enabling accused persons to be heard as witnesses, and the Bill for preventing abuse in the patronage and occupation of benefices in the Established Church. The principles on which these measures rest have been generally accepted for many years; but an opportunity has not till now been found for passing them into law.
"I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you."
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid: My Lords and Gentlemen,—By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal to us, and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Saturday, the twenty-ninth day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Saturday, the twenty-ninth day of October next.
The Lords' Commissioners were:—The Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Coventry, Earl Waldegrave, and Lord Rathmore.
House adjourned at 2.30.