The Press. — London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is imposaible to acknowlo ige the unt•ts of letters we receive Their insertion is often delayed ()win; to a press of matter, and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the c . We cannot undertake to return not avail ourselves. of which we do Comotunications should always be legibly written, and on one sire of the paper unly. If lung it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. 'Whatever is intended for insertion mustbe authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference fur payment in town. vit vrtgg+ LONDON, SATURDAY. MARCH 28 , 1857 POSTSCRIPT. CHINA AND PERSIA. The admiral at Malta has telegraphed to the Secretary of the Amit al ty, under date 24th of March, 1857 :-- From the agent at Suez, 20th of March, 1857. The Bombay brings no news of the Hit:do:llan ; the pas sengers reported that the night before they left Bombay a telegraphic message was received from Calcutta, stating that the Emperor of China disapproves of the proceedings of the Governor of Canton, and had given him orders to conciliate the English. Mao th.it a battle was fought on the Bth of February, about forty miles from 13ushire, between the Bombay and Persian cavalry, which ended in the total rout of the latter, with a loss of 800 ; the loss on our side was ten killed and silty-two wounded. THE WAR WITH CHINA. FURTHER OFFICIAL PAPERS. A Parliamentary return of further papers relating to the proceedings of her Majesty's forces at Canton, was published on Saturday. In a despatch to the Admiralty dated December 29, Rear-Admiral Seymour gives a detailed account of the destruction by fire of the factories at Canton, and there is also a despatch on the same subject from Sir John Bowring to Earl Clarendon. In the latter document the following passage occurs : Her Majesty's Government will, no doubt, take into early consideration our present position in China. As re. garde the Canton question, it appears to me that our course must be decided by two principal considerations. First, the obtaining indemnity for injuries done, and (always holding the Imperial Government responsible) it is de sirable that the burden of the sacrifice should fall upon Canton itself. Secondly, the securing for us a future position iu Canton, by the appropriation of a considerable addition to the factories, sufficient to furnish our mer chants with warehouses within the precincts, and the whole secured from future attacks of robbers or incen diaries. These two objects accomplished, we shall not have to regret the perverseness on the part of the Viceroy which has brought about results so desirable. And their - bearing upon our future relations will be most important, for I am quite persuaded that an absolute triumph at Can ton will be the very best initiative to successful negotia tions elsewhere ; and it appears to me that these nego tiations must be carried on elsewhere; for the Viceroy of Canton is, of all men, the least fitted for negotiation, and the locality of Canton would be, of all places in the empire, the least desirable. The inclosures contain correspondence between Consul Parkes, Sir John Bowling, and Admiral Seymour, relative to the events in progress. There is also a memorandum of operations at Canton between the sth and 13th of January. This memorandum relates to the burning of a portion of the suburbs of Canton, a step " deemed " says Ad miral Seymour " absolutely necessary for our safety:' In a despatch of the 23rd of January, to Sir John Bowring, who had called the admiral's attention to the inadequacy of the executive force at Hong King, the admiral makes the following curious statement : In about a month I may begin to look for the arrival of some of my expected steamers and gunboats. The papers conclude with a letter from Admiral Seymour to the Admiralty, dated the 30th of January, relating to movements already known to the English public. The despatch ends as follows : From what I have stated in this letter and my previous communications, I trust their lordships will see the ne cessity of sending out a further number of light-drafted steamers to those already on their way, and that her Majesty's Government will give directions for the speedy despatch of a sufficient body of troops to net against the city of Canton, the only mode of bringing this business to a satisfactory conclusion, and placing Europeans on a proper footing in this quarter. Although affairs at present are perfectly tranquil at the northern ports, it is impos sible to say how lung they may continue so, and there can be little doubt that on the result of the misunderstanding Chinese THE PRESS. The papers contain no despatches from the Go vernment at home, and more than one of the docu ments given is stated to be an "extract." THE NEW PARLIAMENT. MEMBERS RETURNED. Conservative. Liberal. ASHTON--C. Hindley .. .. 1 BATH—Elton .. 1 .. Way .. .. 1 BLACKBURN—W. H. Hornby .. 1 J. Pilkington .. 1 Bosrox—H. Ingram .. l W. H. Adam .. .. 1 BRISTOL—Hon. H. Berkeley .. 1 H. G. Langton • • 1 BRADFORD—W. H. Wickham .. I Gen. P. Thompson I Bitivor.Ey—Sir T. E. Wilmington 1 BIRMINGHAM—G. F. Muntz .. 1 W. Scholefield .. 1 CARDIFF—CoIoneI Stuart • . -- 1 Carlisle—Hodgson .. .. 1 Graham .. 1 CARMARTHEN—D. Morris . • 1 CHE LTENHAM—Capt. Berkeley .. 1 CARNARYON—W. B. Hughes .. 1 DORCHESTER—R. B. Sheridan • . 1 Captain N. Sturt 1 DUDLEY—H B. Sheridan .. 1 DURHAM—W Atherton .. • • I J. R. Mowbray .. 1 EDINDURGH—A. Black .. .. 1 C. Cowan .. .. 1 EXETER —E. Divett .. • • 1 C. Gard .. .. 1 GRIMSBY—Lord Worsley • • 1 HASTINGS—P. Robertson .. 1 F. North .. .. 1 HEREFOr.r.--COlonel CliffUra .. 1 G. Clive .. .. 1 HERTFORD--Cowper .. .. 1 Farquhar .. . • 1 _ KENDALL--G. C. Glynn .. 1 LEOHINSTER—Gathorne Hardy 1 W. Willoughby .. 1 LEWES—H. Fitzroy .. • • 1 H. M. Brand .. .. 1 LUDLOW—Hon. P. E. Herbert .. 1 B. Botfield .. .. 1 LYNN—Lord Stanley .. .. 1 J. H. Gurney .. .. 1 MALTON---C. W. Fitzwilliam .. 1 J. Brown .. .. 1 MaaLow—Lt.•Col. T. P. Williams 1 Lt.-Col. B. W. Knox .. 1 MERTHYR TYDVILL—H. A. Bruce 1 MoRPETH—Sir George Grey .. 1 MARYLEBONE—Sir B. Hall .. 1 Lord Ebrington .. 1 NEWARK—EarI of Lincoln .. -- 1 Mr. Handley .. .. 1 PEMBROKE—SiT John Owen .. 1 PERTH—Hun. A. Kinnaird .. 1 READING—F. Pigott .. .. 1 _ ~ S. h eating .. .. 1 REnroaD--liiscount Galway .. 1 F. Fe!jambe ~ 1 RIPON—J. A. Warre .. .. J. GreAnwood RICHMOND—W. Rich • • • M. Wyvill .. .. RYE—W. A. Mackinnon .. .. SALISBURY—Lieut.-Gen. Buckley M. H. Marsh .. Sournammos—W. Willcox .. W. Wegnelin .. SOUTH SHIELDS.—R. Ingham .. SWANSEA—Mr. L. Dillwyu .. STAMFORD—Lord 11. Cecil .. I Sir F. Thesiger .. 1 TAMWORTH—Sir Robert Peel .. 1 Lord Raynham .. 1 THETFORD—IA(Od Euston .. 1 Hon. F. Baring .. 1 THIRSK—Sir W. P. Gallwry .. 1 TYNEMOUTH—.W. Lindsay .. 1 WAKEFIELD—W. Charlesworth .. 1 WALSALL—Mr. C. Forster . • I WARWICK—Mr. Repton .. .. 1 Mr. Greaves .. 1 WARRINGTON—W. G. Greenall .. 1 WESTMINSTER—Sir De Lacy Evans 1 Sir J. Shelley .. 1 WHITER kVEN—Mr. Hildyard .. 1 WHITBY—Mr. 11, Stephenson .. 1 WILTON—E. Autrobus • . .. 1 WOLVERHAMFTON—RIHn. C. Villiers 1 P. Thornely 1 WlNDSOB—Vansittart .. .. 1 Grenfell .. • • 1 WOODSTOCK—Mrq. of Blandford 1 BATH ELECTION. There is at present some dispute about the returns. The Conservative return, which we have reason to believe is correct, is as follows :—Elton, 1,245 ; Way, 1,203 ; Tite, 1,195. Liberal return :—Elton, 1,245; Tite, 1,194; Way, 1,188. _ . WINDSOR Er.rcrioN.—Vansittart, 325 ; Grenfell, 289 ; Ricardo, 289: CARLISI.E.—Hodson, 524 ; Graham, 491; Fer guson, 465. _ _ - • HERTIOB.D.—Cowper,.2B9 ; Farquhar, 269 ; Cham bers, 284. SATURDAY, AT THE PLYMOUTH NOMINATIIN the show of hands was largely in favour of Messrs. Hardy and White. AT SCARBOROUGH Dr. Bayford was nominated by a large majority. Sir J. Johnstone demanded a poll. AT PORTSUOTJTH Sir J. Elphinstone was received with the utmost enthusiasm, and an enormous majo rity of hands exhibited in his favour. LORD CHELSEA has come forward to contest the election for Middlesex. The address of the noble lord appears in our advertisement columns. PRESIDENT BUCHANAN'S INAUGURATION . ON the 4th inst. President Pierce's Adminiltration ceased, and Mr. Buchanan was installed at Washing ton, with rather more than the usual ceremony, as President of the Republic. A desire for brilliant processions and military shows appears to be rapidly outgrowing the simple taste of the earlier Repub licans. Arrived at the Capitol, Mr. Buchanan came out, descended the steps, aia.l, advancing to the front of a platform, delivered his Inaugural Address. Alluding first to the great example of self government the country had given in the late Presidential contest, Mr. Buchanan touched upon the Kansas question, and indicated the policy he was disposed to adopt : What a happy conception, then, was it for Congress to apply this simple rule—that the will of the majority shall iovern—to the settlement of the question of domestic slavery in the territories 1 Congress is neither "to legis late slavery into any territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom ; but to leave the people thereof perfeAtly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States." As a natural csuisequence, Congress has also prescribed that, when the territory of Kansas shall be admitted as a State, it "shall be received into the Union, with or without slavery, as their Constitution may prescribe at the time of their admission." With respect to his future foreign policy, Presi dent Buchanan said : We ought to cultivate peace, commerce, and friendship with all nations, and this not merely as the best means of promoting our own material interests, but in a spirit of Christian benevolence towards our fellow-men, wherever their lot may be cast. Our diplomacy should be direct and frank, neither seeking to obtain more nor accepting less than our due. We ought to cherish a sacred regard fur the independence of all nations, and never attempt to in terfere in the domestic concerns of any unless they shall be imperatively required by the great law of selfpreserva tion. To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of our policy ever since the days of Washington, and its wisdom no one will attempt to dispute. In short, we ought to do justice in a kindly spirit to all nations and require justice from them in return. Mr. Buchanan concluded with a word as to future annexations : It is our glory, that whilst other nations have extended their dominions by the sword, we have never acquired any territory except by fair purchase, or, as in the case of Texas, by the voluntary determination of a brave, kindred, and independent ißople to blend their destinies with our own. Even our acquisitions from Mexico form no excep tion. Unwilling to take advantage of the fortune of war against a sister republic, we purchased these possessions under the treaty of peace for a sum which was considered at the time a fair equivalent. Our put history forbids that we shall in the future ac quire territory, unless it be sanctioned by the laws of justice and honour. Acting on this principle, no nation will have a right to interfere or to complain if in the progress of events we shall still further extend our pos sessions. The oath was then administered, and the ceremony was concluded. AN ADMIRALTY Lew CASE of peculiar interest, as establishing certain principles of international right, was decided on Tuesday by the Court of Privy Coun cil. The case was an appeal against the judgment of Dr. Lushington condemning the ship Gerasimo, captured by H.M.S. Vesuvius on the 19th of July, 1854, as she was coming out of the Suline mouth of the Danube. The Gerasimo belonged to an lonian firm at Galatz, and under Wallitchian colours had sailed from that port en route to Trieste with a cargo of corn, when she was captured. The points in sup port of the legality of the capture were, first, that the Gerasimo belonged to an enemy's country, as the Russians then held Moldavia; and secondly, that she broke a blockade. The Privy Council decided on the authority of Lord Stowell, Lord Ellenborough, and other eminent lawyers, " that a Government yielding to the superior force of another power does not become a co-belligerent with that power," and that therefore Moldavia could not be considered an enemy's country. We had recognised this principle by acknowledging the Moldo-Wallachian flag. The plea was, consequently, overruled. The second point, that of a breach of blockade, was also disallowed, and upon these grounds : the blockade was established only as a military expedient, and for the embarrass ment of the Russian army. The Russian forces were straitened for want of provisions. The allied admi rals forbade imports •and declared that they had established a blockade of the Danube. uc 114.0 YVYVIr VII VIC rcalul ul I.IIC misunuersti at Canton will depend oar future position in the C empire generally. as.--.IIIIIL 310