THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Hastings Standard, Issue 226, 21 January 1897, Page 3

THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

TilE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. HOSTILE AMENDMENTS WITH DRAWN. (IV/ - P/v.v, Association. —Cojiifri'iht.) London, Jan. 20. Parliament opened yesterday. The debate on the Address-in-Reply was tame in character. The Irish financial amendments were withdrawn. Sir W. V. Haveourt, in the course of his speech, said the Anglo-American treaty had placed the goodwill of America on a permanent footing. With regard to the education question the Opposition were willing to defend the Government against the Church if it maintained in its action as it had done in 1870. the outcome of which was Mr Forster's Education Bill, which was a compromise of the religious difficulty. The Hon. A. -J. Balfour justified the Government's policy m restoring Egyptian authority over the districts which had been lost to Egypt for some time. He was not without liojje that the Powers would secure reforms in Turkey. The Government were resolved to enlarge the .scope of the Irish financial inquiry with a view to meeting some of the objections recently raised. Later. The House of Lords adopted the Address-in-Reply. Lord Salisbury in a speech lauded Lord Roscberry for the action taken in regard to the Liberal leadership. He said that the Queen had won the resspect of the civilised world for the righteous character of her reign, during which she had exercised a benignant influence upon the successful development of constitutional Government. Referring to the Eastern question Lord Salisbury admitted that in the past Earl Beac-onsfield and himself had misgivings as to the wisdom of the policy of propping up Turkey. It was clear that Great Britain made a mistake in rejectiug the proposals made by the Czar in 1 for defining the influence of the power of Turkey, and similar overtures would now be gladly accepted. The Powers were pondering as to the remedies to save the Turkish Empire, and it wa« generally agreed that if reforms were refused material pressure must be applied. Seme of the most important Powers were convinced that the doom of Turkey could not long be postponed unless essential reforms were granted. With regard to Egypt it was intended to occupy Khartoum sooner or later. He deprecated any millenial expectations respecting the Anglo-American Arbitration Treaty, but said he hoped it would gradually substitute judicial decisions for war.