The Press. — London, England, 1858-01-30 00:00:00

6,000 troops, including 900 French soldiers, 1,000 of whom were collected on Honan, which island had been definitely occupied on the 10th of December, were to be employed. Mr. Reed, the American Envoy, had endeavoured to obtain an interview with Yeb, which had been rather insultingly refused : I am informed, then, that the Chinese merchants say that Lord Elgin's demand was of the most temperate cha racter; that he asked for no more than that the treaty should be carried out, that Canton should be put upon the same footing as the other treaty ports, its gates opened to commerce, compensation given for damage done to British merchants, and our occupation of Honan acquiesced in as a material guarantee until all matters are settled. At least one of the Chinese merchants thinks that these de mands should have been jumped at. Yeh, however, thinks otherwise. The answer just gone up to Lord Elgin is couched, if my information is correct, in a fine sarcastic vein, much like that returned to the American. It tells his lordship that the question of the treatment of strangers at Canton has been settled by the decree of the Emperor; that Sir George Bonham was made a baronet for respecting that decree, and he recommends Lord Elgin to follow his example; that, as to compensation, Yeh has a demand noon the English Government for losses suffered by the Chinese. You must make some allowance for a version of a Chinese document read to me in Canton English ; but I think I can pledge myself that this will be found to be the substance of this document. Lord Elgin is no true son of Robert the Bruce if he stands this style of answer ; so we may soon now expect something decisive here.—Times cur. Lieut. Pym, in command of the Banterer, had landed at a village on the river banks, and, though well received at first, was attacked by the villagers on returning to his boat, five of his crew killed, and the rest, without exception, more or less severely wounded. 1 1' d 6, bi th cc a le tl] 18 VI hi tt tt ni a tl al 11 t t THE PRESS, JANUARY 30, 1858. thought that an inconvenient mode of proceeding, as the Government had a measure of their own under consideration. After considerable fencing, Lord Palmerston said : I think upon general principles it is not advisable to bring in a bill in one session witht.ut a clear prospect of passing it in that session, for, should the parties proposing such a bill not be successful, they would allow the measure to remain over until the next session, to be shot at by every body on the other side. I think, as a general principle, the Government does better by bringing before Parliament snch measures only as it has a fair chance of passing. Therefore I must not be understood to make an engage ment to bring in a bill without a fair chance of passing it. The deputation then withdrew to the Thatched house Tavern, St James's-street, to consider the best course to be adopted to give effect to their wishes, and passed the following resolution : That the deputation, having heard the unsatisfactory reply of Lord Palmerston to the statements this day placed before him, cannot return to their respective homes in the provinces without declaring their determination to press forward without delay, and on their own responsibility, a bill for the total and uncompensated abolition of church rates. The resolution was carried unanimously, and on the motion of Dr. Foster it was also resolved : That the deputation especially recommend the friends of religions liberty throughout the United Kingdom to contest the making of rates in all parishes, even where they may be in a minority, it being a matter of common experience that even the opposition of a minority may practically prevent the levying of a rate. A PUBLIC MEETING will be held on Saturday week in Willis's Room, Lord Panmure in the chair, for the purpose of promoting a tribute to the memory of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence, K.C.8., who fell in the defence of Luckuow. HAVELOCK MEMORIAL FUND.—We have been re quested to state that no individuals have been autho rised to solicit or receive subscriptions for the Have lock Memorial Furd, but that all subscriptions must be paid in to the bankers, or to the London or pro vincial committees which have been appointed to receive them. THE Lord Bishop of London has presented the Rev. Dr. Goulburn, late Head Master of Rugby School, and now minister of Quebec Chapel, to the prebendal stall in St. Paul's Cathedral, vacated by the resignation of the Rev. R. Harvey, canon of Gloucester. AN AMENDMENT IN THE LAW OF BANKRUPTCY is being agitated in the west of England. A public meeting was held at the Exeter Guildhall on Satur day, which was convened by the Mayor, Mr. H. Hooper, in compliance with a requisition signed by the principal tradesmen of the city. The Mayor presided. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. W. Brock, wholesale draper, &c., and seconded by Mr. J. D. Osborn, magistrate:— That the enormous and disprOportioned expenses at. tending the prosecution of a case in bankruptcy, the con centration of the court in one town only of a large district, and the unnece.sary complication of practice, render the court practically unavailable in most ordinary estates, thereby compelling recourse to private arrangements, which tend to oppression, to the concealment of fraud, the deterioration of commercial morality, and to the defeat of the ends of justice. It was also proposed by Mr. Thomas, merchant, and seconded by Mr. Latimer, magistrate : That the diversity of the law of bankruptcy, as dis tinguished from that of insolvency, creates doubt and com plication, while it is unnecessary and burdensome. The motion was carried unanimously ; and a peti tion to Parliament, which Mr. E. Divert and Mr. FL S. Gard, M.P.'s for the city, promised to present and support, was adopted. MESSRS. W. A. WILKINSON, R. WALTERS, AND F. DOULTON, three of the Liberal candidates now before the borough of Reigate, have issued a joint notifica tion to the electors that they have resolved to forego their several personal claims in order to maintain the unity of their party. They propose that the Liberals of the constituency shall choose by ballot which of them shall fight the battle with the Conservatives, and announce that their respective committees are preparing means to carry this arrangement into effect. The Hon. Mr. Monson was invited to concur in these proceedings, but declined to do so. Sir Henry Rawlinson last week, at a meeting of the electors, pronounced as his opinion that the Persian and Chinese wars were most "unjustifiable and impolitic." THE RIGHT HON. SIR JOHN TROLLOPE last week presided at a banquet at Sleaford on the inaugura- tion of a new corn exchange. In responding to the toast of his health, Sir John Trollope referred to the monetary crisis and the Indian mutiny, which he thought would have afforded sufficient employment for her Majesty's Government and far the Parliament in the ensuing session. But he was told that there was a third measure looming over us—namely, what was called " a reform in Parliament ": For his own part, he hoped he should Ever be found ready to meet any man to inquire into alleged abuses, and 107 he hoped he should be ready to reform that which was proved to require it. But be did not want Reform merely for the purpose of propping up a system or a particular set of men. He did not want Reform simply because it might be called for by the public at large. What might be regarded as Reform by some might be designated under another name by others. Upon that point people were very much divided in opinion, and therefore he should not enter into any discussion upon it ; but he would simply say that when the measure, which he understood to be iX preparation, was presented in Parliament, he for one should be ready to consider it in a fair, and he hoped a just and impartial spirit. But then he was not prepared for any thing that should degrade the franchise. He should like to see that held as a boon by working men who could achieve independence. And surely it required no great industry, no great self-denial, to lay by enough to purchase a 40a. freehold in a county, or to rent a 101. house in a borough. If the nation thought fit to make the qualifica tion still lower, it might do so, but he was not prepared to see the franchise degraded. gourt anA sastton. His Royal Highness Prince Frederick William of Prussia arrived in London on Saturday last. On Monday the marriage of her Royal Highness the Princess Royal with Prince Frederick William was celebrated. On Tuesday his Majesty the King of the Belgians, accompanied by his two sons, and their Royal High. nesses the Prince and Princess of Prussia, with other illustrious guests, took leave of the Queen on their return to the Continent. Her Majesty held a Court the same afternoon, at which the Earl of Mulgrave and the Hon. S. Pon sonby had audienoes. On Wednesday her Majesty and the Court left Buckingham Palace for Windsor. On Thursday a Chapter of the Garter was held at Windsor Castle, and his Royal Highness Prince Frederick William duly elected a Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter. The Queen gave a grand banquet in the evening, in the Waterloo Gallery. All the Knights of the Garter assisting at the Chapter were honoured with invitations. The guests amounted to seventy-one. On Friday the Court returned to town, and in the evening her Majesty, accompanied by the Prince Consort and the Prince and Princess Frederick Wil liam of Prussia, paid a state visit to Her Majesty's Theatre. Valittral. A CABINET; Colmar. was held on Saturday last, at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing•street. The Ministers present were—Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, Lord Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, Mr. Vernon Smitb, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Mr. T. Baines, and the Duke of Argyll. A Cabinet Council was also held on Monday last, and again yesterday, when the same Ministers were present. AN INFLUENTIAL DEPUTATION waited upon Lord Palmerston on Wednesday, to bring before his lord • ship the position of the church-rate question. Sir W. Clay, who introduced the deputation, said that their object was to furnish his lordship " with evil• deuce that, in nearly every part of the country, there was an earnest and unabated desire for the abroga tion of the law under which church rates were im posed." Mr. A. Pellatt, Dr. Foster, and Mr. Cour tauld, of Braintree, having addressed his lordship, the Premier thanked the deputation for coming there, and promised to lay their remarks before his colleagues. Upon this, Mr. A. Pellatt asked whether the Government were prepared to bring forward any measure this session. Lord Palmerston replied that Government " felt the importance of the subject," and that they were anxious to propose to Parliament " something " which should be agreeable to the con• sideration, if not acceptation, of all parties. On being pressed by Mr. T. Duncombe as to whether Government would support the second reading of Sir W. Clay's bill, Lord Palmerston replied that he Nina anb alilitarg ]ntelligettt. ORDERS have been received at Chatham garrison by the officers commanding the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd battalions, directing them to hold in readiness re inforcements to the number of 700 officers and men, belonging to the 6th, 7th (Fusiliers), Bth, 18th (Royal Irish), 19th, 20th, 23rd (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), 24th, 29th, 35th, 51st and 52nd (Light Infantry), 53rd, 61st, 84th, 70th, 75th, 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th, 86th, 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers), 90th (Light Infantry), 94th and 98th Regiments, for the purpose of strengthening the various corps now serving in India. The reinforcements will embark at Gravesend directly tonnage has been taken up for them by the Hon. East India Company. A Goon SERVICE PENSION of 1001. per annum has been conferred by H.R.H. the General Commanding in. Chief on Brevet Colonel Walter Hamilton of the glorious 78th Highlanders, whose conduct in leading his regiment in all the actions under Sir H. Have. lock and Sir Colin Campbell has justly been the theme of praise. A similar pension of 501. per annum has also been bestowed on Brevet Colonel M. Byrne, unattached, by H.R.H. the Commander in•Chief. He is an officer of thirty-four years' serviee, and was wounded at Sebastopol. THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE PRINCES Of Paussu have visited Chatham and Portsmouth dock yards during the week. Comma, G. HOWARD VYSE AND MRS. VYSE on Tuesday last entertained the whole of the children attending the regimental school of the 2nd Life Guards, at Hyde-park Barracks, in celebration of the marriage of the Princess Royal and Prince Frederick William of Prussia. VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE WHTTE ARTHUR FANSHAWE, C. 8., late Commander-in-Chief on the West India and North American station, is appointed to succeed Admiral Lord Lyons, G.C.8., in the command of the Mediterranean station. His flagship will most pro. bably be the screw three-decker Marlborough, 191, at Portsmouth. The admiral visited Portsmouth yesterday. Rear-Admiral of the White Sir Stephen Lnshington, K.C.8., is appointed to relieve Vice- Admiral Wallis in the command of the South East Coast of America station. Sir Stephen proceeds by the packet to Rio, to hoist his flag in the Cumberland, 70, whose captain, flag lieutenant, and secretary he retains. A GENERAL ORDER has been issued prescribing a new standard height for recruits in the cavalry and infantry. There will be three classes of cavalry recruits, the heaviest regiments being the 4th and sth Dragoon Guards, the Royal Dragoons, and Greys, for which the men are to be from sft Sin to sft llin. The height for the intermediate class in sft Bin to sft to Bin, and the regiments are the Ist, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th Dragoon Guards, the Inniskilling Diagoons, and the 9th, 12th, 18th and 17th Lancers. The Light Dragoons are to be from Mt 41in to Mt to sft Bin, and the regiments included under this category will be the Carabineers, 3rd and 4th Light Dragoons, 7th, Bth, 10th and 11th Hussars, 14th Light Dragoons, and 15th Hussars. The age of recruits to be flora 18 to 30 years. The infantry standard is sft 4in and upwards for regiments not in India, and Mt 3in and upwards for those serving in that country. SIR HENRY R. DUKINFIELD, BART., many years vicar of St. Martins'-in-the-Fields, died, after a short illness, on Sunday evening, at his residence in Eaton•square. The lamented baronet was third son of the fifth baronet, and was born in 1791. He was educated at Eton, and afterwards removed to Christ Church, Oxford, at which university he graduated as B.A. in 1813, and M.A. in 1816. Sir Henry was vicar of St. Martin's•in-the Fields from 1834 up to 1848, when the rev. baronet vacated that living from ill health. In 1833 be was appointed a prebendary of Salisbury. He marrried in 1830 Mrs. Chowne, widow of General Chd)wne, and daughter of Sir James Cranfurd, Bart. Sir Henry leaves no issue, and the baronetcy becomes extinct.