DEBATE IN THE COMMONS ON ABYSSINIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1308, 25 January 1868, Page 5

DEBATE IN THE COMMONS ON ABYSSINIA.

(Telegram to the Times of India.) London. November 27tli, morning. The House of Commons have voted £2,000,000 for the expenses of the Abyssinian expedition, after a protracted and animated debate, which chiefly turned on Lord t>tanli"-y's July speech, inducing the belief that no expedition was immediately intended, while the preliminary arrangement for is had already been made.

Mensrs. Lc.wr am H or* min vigorously attacked the conduct of tl)« Gc-remmt-nt as being unconstitutional. Lord '■"tanh-y eli qut-r.tly vindicated the course taken by the Government, and said that the expedition was onlv finally resolved on ut the close of the session. He spoke of the expedition as h disagreeable nscessity, whini •.» a-i not alone undertaken tor the release of the captive-1 hut 1o maintain the prestige of the nation.

Sir Stafford Nprthcote denied the assertion that Lord Stanley had deceived the House, iwid vindicated his conduct. Mr. Gladstone, while unable to oonsute the_ Government, considered it ought to have immediately communicated to Parliament its resolution to send an armed expeditionary forco Mr. Disraeli contended that tho Government had acted constitutionally. JTe estimated the total expenditure at £3,60(V)00, and an additional £300,000 if it should be found, necessary to rcplace tho troops tafcen from Xndia. He emphatically declared that the scope of the expedition would bo restricted to the release of tho captivcs. London, November 2Sth' In tho Committee of Ways and Means on tho expenses for the Abvs s i ian expedition, Sir Stafford Northcoto said that Colonel Merewether's explorations in Abyssinia were on the whole satisfactory. Mr. Disraeli was absent from illness. air. Hunt said that the £2,000,000 required would be provided as follows:—From tho surplus next Budget £200,000; by an additional penny on the Income Tax, producing £S 10,000 ; and the remainder from the balances of the Exchequer. Mr. Gladstone cordially approved the means proposed. The resolution adding a penny to tho Income -Lax v r as pissed. ~ Sir Stafford Northcote moved a resolution that tno ordinary pay of tho troops, and charges vos-els (.) should continue to be maintained by tho Indian revenues, conditionally on the cost of replacing them being provided by t'ailiament. Sir Stafford iSorthcotii admitted that bv doing so Government overstepped the Provi3ions"of the Act of Parliament, but quotsd as a precedent the conduct of Lord Palmerston in th.3 China war. lie demonstrated the obvious expediency of the step, and warmly eulogised the zeal and energy of the Government of Bombay, the Indian Council, and all ranks, both European and native, of the Indian army, and said that; offers of assistance had been received from Indian piinces, India, he said, could sparo the troops, and India was interested in tho maintenance of England's prestige in tho East. Mr. I'awcett protosted against any cost being thrown en the unrepresented millions of India. Mr. Gladstonefwid that India was lot off very lightly, as representing English interests. Parliament was bound, he said, to support tho proposal of Govemmen t.

Lord Cranbourne opposed the Government. The resolution was adapted by 198 against 175,