London.

Manawatu Herald, 23 December 1893, Page 2

London.

It is suggested that the present session shall be continued througheut next year, owing to the backward state c&busjness^ A.mong,the. argumerit3fb^ought?fo;rtfar*l in fcjiflpbrfr pf the 'the ardidahcV'of Queen's Speech and the debate on the Address-in-Reply. That portion of Bechuanaland which has the British protectorate has petitioned, the, Imperial Government for annexation". .... ; " In" the House of Commons, Lord George Hamilton proposed the motion of which he had given notice, to the effect that the Government should take immediate stepc to ensure .-Uie^naYaA' avjpreruAqyjof Great; Britain. In a moderate speech, he disclaimed that- the motion was inteaded as a partisan attack, but said it was imperative tba! t lh&06---vernment'shonld promptly strength en the Navy, since the British command of the sea "was in jeopardy. France and Russia, he said, were building 28 large ships, as, against j four! in course of construction by: the British Admiralty. Mr Gladstone said the attempt to

deprive the Government of one of its primary duties amounted to a Want of confidence motion, He contended that there was no present emergency or danger. Even if England built no additional ships for the next five years, still her fighting pewer and the tonnage of the Navy would exceed those of France and Russia combined. Besides. the Admiralty ■waa discussing tteW provision for the future, under which Great Britain would be able to build much more rapidly than iv the past. Mr Balfour and Mr Chamberlain said it was clear that Government had failed to appreciate the gravity of the situation. Sir Charles Dilke stated that Great Britain had to face the fact that the elements of a national catastrophe were now existent. She required a superiority of battleships in the ratio of five to three. He believed that in the event ot an out break of war Great Britain must immediately evacuate the Mediterranean. Sir VernonHarcourfc declared that the British slifleriorifcy at present was absolute, and in -18^8 England would have 22 battleships and France aud Russia 24. The motion was rejected by 240 to 204. The division was strictly a Party one. Mr Gladstone's amendment, declaring that the House relies on the Ministry to submit a fitting proposal re the strengthening ot the Navy in due time, was agreed to. The Unionist press accuses Mr Gladstone of trifling with the question. Mr J. C. Macdona, member for Rotherhithe, urged that steps be taken to exclude all foreign Anarchists from London. fc?ir Edward Grey, Under-Secre-tary for Foreign Affairs, said the Government had not yet decided what to do in the matter. The House of Commons has refused, by a majority of 62 votes, to agree to the amendment inserted by the House of Lords in the Employers' Liability Bill to enable workmen to contract themselves outside its provisions. It is expected that the House of Lords will suggest a compromise.