GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 



331 



General Roberts in Afghanistan, criticised the 

 Treaty of Berlin as giving each of the powers 

 a separate cause of quarrel with Turkey, and 

 the Anglo-Turkish Convention as guarantee- 

 ing Turkey against the consequences of break- 

 ing its own promises, and charged that Lord 

 Lytton, Viceroy of India, had led the Govern- 

 ment in its Afghan policy. Lord Cranbrook 

 replied to the Duke of Argyll, and the motion 

 for the address was adopted. The address was 

 moved in the House of Commons by Colonel 

 Drummond Moray, and seconded by Mr. J. P. 

 Corry. Lord Hartington asked explanations 

 from the Government on various points ; first, 

 as to the Greek frontier negotiations, and the 

 progress which had been made in inducing 

 Turkey to adopt the promised reforms. He 

 deprecated any action on the part of England 

 for the repression of the rising liberties of the 

 Danubian principalities, and insisted that the 

 threatening state of Europe should teach the 

 lesson of making the country safe, by concen- 

 trating its resources and lessening its responsi- 

 bilities. He complained that the speech from 

 the Throne contained no reference to future 

 policy in Afghanistan, and argued that the 

 course of events had made it impossible to pur- 

 sue the policy marked out in the Treaty of Gun- 

 damuk. He thought the annexation of the 

 Transvaal in South Africa was effected under 

 a mistake as to the views of the people, and 

 might be revoked if that should turn out to be 

 the wisest policy. He hoped the Ministers 

 would take the earliest opportunity for ex- 

 plaining what steps they had taken to meet the 

 distress prevailing in Ireland. The Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer spoke in explanation of 

 measures that had been adopted by the Govern- 

 ment on subjects to which the opposition had 

 directed their inquiries. The state of Turkey 

 was such as to cause anxiety, but the Govern- 

 ment were striving to bring about a better 

 condition. Under existing circumstances, and 

 in the armed state of Europe, England could 

 not afford to abdicate its position and influence 

 in the council of nations. The policy of the Gov- 

 ernment as to Afghanistan was not changed. 

 A better hope than hitherto existed of bring- 

 ing about a South African federation. The 

 Chancellor also related what the Government 

 had done with respect to the distress in Ire- 

 land. 



In the course of the subsequent debates, Earl 

 Beaconsfield several times announced that the 

 statement that the Government had released 

 Persia from its engagement not to occupy 

 Herat, was not true ; and a letter was read 

 from General Roberts denying allegations that 

 Afghan prisoners had been shot for fighting 

 against the British troops. On the 18th of 

 February Earl Beaconsfield, in answer to a 

 question from Earl Granville, said that he was 

 not prepared to say that the tripartite treaty 

 of 1856, by which Great Britain, Austria, and 

 France guaranteed the integrity of the Otto- 

 man Empire, had ceased to exist, but that if 



the kingdom were appealed to by the co-signa- 

 tories of the treaty to act under its provisions, 

 there were certain circumstances he should 

 take into consideration. Lord Selborne said 

 that he considered the treaty as completely in- 

 operative as if it had been abrogated in the most 

 solemn form. On the 20th of February the 

 Duke of Argyll made a speech of more than 

 two hours in length in the House of Lords, in 

 condemnation of the policy and proceedings of 

 the Government in Afghanistan. He was re- 

 plied to by Lord Cranbrook, and the debate 

 was continued by Lord Northbrook, Lord Ham- 

 mond, Lord Strathnairn, Lord Napier of Mag- 

 dala, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Granville, and 

 Lord Beaconsfield. 



Attention was called in the House of Com- 

 mons, February 17th, to a placard signed " S. 

 Plimsoll" which had been posted on the walls 

 of Westminster, appealing to the constituents 

 of Sir Charles Russell against his action on the 

 grain-cargoes bill. This was regarded by the 

 member assailed as a breach of privilege, and 

 he moved a resolution affixing that character 

 to it. Mr. Plimsoll acknowledged his respon- 

 sibility for the paper, made an explanation and 

 apology for his act, and desired to withdraw 

 the words he had used. The resolution of cen- 

 sure was withdrawn, but it was insisted that 

 some notice ought to be taken of the act not- 

 withstanding an apology had been made, and 

 the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved a res- 

 olution mentioning the offense, but declaring 

 that an apology for it had been accepted. A 

 debate ensued as to whether the effect of the 

 resolution might not be to make a new rule or 

 to limit the freedom of discussion, after which 

 it was adopted. 



The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, 

 February 23d, a series of resolutions for pre- 

 venting the obstruction of the progress of busi- 

 ness in the House by factious members, which 

 were adopted without a division and made a 

 standing order of the House. They provide that 

 if any member shall have been named by the 

 Speaker or Chairman of Committees as disre- 

 garding the authority of the Chair or abusing 

 the rules of the House by persistently or will- 

 fully obstructing business, then the Speaker 

 shall put the question if motion be made, with- 

 out amendment, adjournment, or debate that 

 the offender be suspended for the remainder 

 of the sitting. If a member be suspended three 

 times in one session his suspension shall con- 

 tinue on the last occasion one week, and until 

 a motion has been made upon which it shall 

 be decided whether his suspension shall cease, 

 or for how long a period it shall continue ; and 

 a member, if he so pleases, may be h^eard in his 

 own defense. 



The army estimates were passed March 1st, 

 including a vote of 4,579,000 for pay and allow- 

 ances for the land forces at home and abroad. 

 The naval estimates were passed March 8th, em- 

 bodying a vote of 58,800 men and boys for the 

 service for 1880-'81 , and several votes of money. 



