The Press. — London, England, 1857-02-07 00:00:00

134 TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive. Their insertion is often delayed owing to a press of matter and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. _ _ We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Communications should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica lion, but us a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment hi town. TZZXB OF SUBSCRIPTION FOR (STAMPED) Per Annum .. Nutt Yearly.. Quarterly .. gbe prroz: tl 0 0 .. 0 13 0 .. 0 6 6 DATABLE IN ADVANCE. Subscribers are requested to send their orders through News Agents; if direct to the office, accompanied by a remittance. Advertisements also must have a reference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. ALFRED IVY, 110, Strand, London. Vtii2)..rrxig+ LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7,1857. POSTSCRIPT. PERSIA. The Bourse Gazelle of Berlin speaking of the reported Russian note upon the Persian question says ;—" We have received some information concerning the recent note from Prince Gortschakoff to the English Cabinet. That note, which was delivered last week at London, and communicated to the friendly Courts, declares, as already stated, that Rua. sia is willing to support the demand of England relative to the evacuation of Herat ; but that she cannot approve of the other claims of the English Cabinet. the consequence of which would be to unduly weaken and humiliate Persia ; and that she would not on any condition allow England to obtain the accomplishment of them by forte. This communica. tion comes to us from so good a source that no doubt can exist as to its exactitude." PARIS, Friday Morning. The Motaileur of today announces that the Agricultural Exhibition has been adjourned for another year. Despatches from Berlin state that the Government meditates dissolving the Chambers, in consequence of the opposition to its financial projects. We learn from Naples that the intended assassin of the Archbishop of Matera has been arrested. M. Blot was received into the French Academy on Thursday afternoon, and pronounced an address in which he dilated on the merits of his predecessor, M. de Lucre telle, the historian. M. Guizot replied to M. Blot. In spite of his advanced age (his ninty.forirth year) M. Blot made a long and most successful speech. LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. HOUSE OF LORDS—FUIDAY. Their lordships sat only for a feu minutes and transacted no public business of importance. HOUSE OF COMMONS—FRIDAY. NEW WRIT. A new writ was ordered for Hereford in the room of Sir B. Price. REPLY TO THE ADDRESS. Her Majesty's gracious reply to the Address of the Com. mons was brought up by the ice• Chamberlain. CONVOCATION. Mr. J. G. PITILLIMORE inquired whether the sittings of Convocation now pending were to be allowed to continue ? Sir G. GREY observed that the proceedings of that assembly possessed no validity without the Royal Assent. If its sittings were inconsistently prolonged, and the Arch bishop of Canterbury declined to prorogue it, Government might think it expedient to interfere. WAR WI. In reply to Mr. H. BAILLIE, _ . WAR WITH PERSIA. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Government would propose to pay onefhtlf the extra expense incurred on account of the Persian war. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. On the motion for going into committee of slimily, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that in the course of next week the army and navy estimates would be laid before the house, and on Monday week lie hoped to au• nounce the day when he should be able to bring forward the annual budget. Mr. 1 nstiA cm stated, that notwithstanding this Announce ment, be should follow his own course with respect to the resolutions on the income tax of which he lied given notice. LOUD JOHN RUSSELL. Lord Joiix RrssELL complaitiedti;at the terms of the Address, in reply to the Royal Speech, pledged the house to an approval of the Persian war. Be wished, for his own ►art, to disown all participation in such a pledge. THE PRESS. Sir G. GREY admitted that the phraseology of the Ad- dress might be interpreted into a pledge of approval, but declared that no member of the house was to be considered bound by it. BANK ACTS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved for a select committee to inquire into the operation of the Bank Act of 1844, and of the Bank Acts for Scotland and Ireland passed in P 445, as well as to inquire into the laws relating to joint stock banks. Observing that the period had returned when the Legislature must decide upon the renewal of the Bank Charter, with or without modification, Sir G. Lewis entered upon a detailed review of the practical consequences which had resulted from the Act of 1444. These, he contended, had proved very satisfactory. Since that statute was passed, the position of the Bank had been sounder, and the reserve of bullion in its vaults mnch larger and less fluctuating than before. Under its operation the country had passed through many vicissitndes—social, politicial, and financial —without suffering any serious collapse of commerce or dislocation of credit. Admitting that some points relating to the issue of notes and other details were open to dia• cussion when the subject came before the select committee, the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that the Govern. ment were prepared to propose a renewal both of the Act of '44 and of the Bank Charter without making any change in the terms of either. Respecting joint stock banks, he observed that recent examples had shown how unsatis factory was the present system under which the affairs of those establishments when insolvent were wound up, and thought that the means of providing a better machinery might usefully be investigated by the proposed committee. Mr. DisttAELl remarked upon the inconvenience of placing two questions so essentially distinct as those of the Bank of England and the jointstock banks before a single committee. He saw, indeed, little use in referring the subject to a committee at all, since the Government seemed to have made up their minds already upon every important point. The debate, which then turned entirely upon technical points connected with the internal mechanism of the Bank of England, tho issue of notes, and other topics connected with the currency and circulation, was pursued at consider. able length by Mr. Tite, 'fir. Glyn, Mr. Malins, Mr. Laing, Mr. Spooner, Sir C. Wood, Mr. Hildyard, and man, other members. _ _ Ultimately the motion was agreed to, and the committee appointed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in accordance with the general sense of the house as expressed in the course of debates, having consented to withdraw from their range of investigation the proposed inquiry into the law of joint stock banks. PASSING TOLLS. The house having gone into committee, Mr. T,olve: obtained leave to bring in a bill to abolish the " passing tolls" levied on shipping for the profit of 1/over, Whitby, Burlington, and namagate harbours. The house adjourned at twelve o'clock. LORD CARDIGAN AND MAJOR CALTHORPE. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir,—ln reading over the speech of the Earl of Cardigan, in the House of Lords last evening, as reported in the public journals of this day, I feel myself called upon to take notice of a remark made by him on that occa sion. His lordship states that in a reply received from the author of " Letters from Head-Quarters," he " admitted that two out of three of those allegations were entirely devoid of truth." This I beg positively and entirely to deny; and it is strange that the Earl of Cardigan, in his place in the House of Lords, should give vent to such a " preposterous fabrication." I have before me copies of all the letters I have ever written on this sub ject, and, after carefully looking over them, I cannot discover a single sentence that could possibly be tortured into an admission that any statement of mine is " totally and entirely devoid of truth." That I may have been in error in certain instances, I am per fectly ready to admit, and I think any one who reads my reply to Lord Cardigan's objec tions, as given in a notice in the second edition of " Letters from Hea , l-Quarter," will acknowledge my willingness to do so. As but few persons have probably seen the second edition, it would be doing me a great favour if you would insert the following somewhat lengthy extracts from the notice above alluded to : " The author has received a paper, drawn up by Major-General the Earl of Cardigan, com plaining that every one of the Staff Officers' statements with regard to himself are slan derous, and totally without any truth or foundation' In answer to so grave a charge, the author feels compelled to notice the points alluded to in detail:— " 1. His lordship asserts that during the patrol in the Dobrudscha' (vol. i. p. 86), neither men nor horses were unnecessarily harassed; but he does not deny that ninety horses out of 280 returned with sore backs.' This cir cumstance appears to the author to justify the SATURDAY, assertion that there was ' very bad manage ment somewhere ;' an opinion also held by several cavalry officers present at the time. "2. Lord Cardigan utterly denies that he ordered an officer of the Bth Hussars to release some Russian prisoners whom he had taken with his troop after the battle of the Alma (tel. i., p. 184). This fact was communicated to the author, immediately after its occurrence, by the officer alluded to ; but since then a question has arisen as to the origin of the order, which it would appear from the earl's statement did not proceed from him. "3. His lordship denies the whole of the statement that Captain Morris, 17th Lancers (vol. i., p 310), advised him to attack the Russian cavalry in flank during the English heavy cavalry charge at the battle of Bala kluva. He declares it to be totally without foundation,' adding, ' that Captain Morris never gave any advice or made any proposal of the sort ;' that it was not his duty to do so,' and that he did not commit such an irregularity.' The conversation, however, has been frequently related by Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, in the presence of several officers, at various times and places, and the matter therefore appears to rest between the Earl of Cardigan and Colonel Morris. " 4. His lordship considers the account given of the part taken by him in the light cavalry charge (vol. i. p. 317) unworthy of any reply, as it is well known' chat he led the light brigade up to the Russian cavalry in rear of the battery, and that the Bth Hussars did not advance as far as the battery,' but became engaged with the Russian cavalry ' short of it.' The author could only rely on state ments furnished by officers present on the occasion ; and as the excellence of Lord Car digan's horsemanship is unquestionable, the idea that his horse ran away with him, is no doubt erroneous. But it cannot be denied that he retired between the 4th Light Dra goons and Bth Hussars as those regiments were advancing, and it is confidently asserted by the two senior officers of the Bth llussars, who were present, that the latter regiment was not halted until it had gone three hun dred yards beyond the battery, when it was wheeled about for the purpose of attacking the enemy's cavalry, which had assembled in its rear. ",5. His lordship complains of the version given (vol. ii., p. 5.) of the report made by the medical board on the state of his health. The author, feeling that the expression made use of was uncalled for, begs to express his regret for having inserted it, and with pleasure sub joins a true copy of the report, with which ho has been furnished by his lordship : " Lord Cardigan is much reduced in strength, and the board, considering the serious character of his complaints, recommend that he may be allowed to proceed to England for the recovery of his health." I leave your readers to judge from the fore going how far Lord Cardigan was justified in his assertions in the House of Lords last night. I wish only further to remark, that I should not have troubled you with this long letter, had I not been attacked in a place whore I was unable to reply.—l beg to remain, sir, your obedient servant, SOMERSET GOIJOII CALTHORPE, Major Unattached. Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, Feb. 6. elution aintelligcnte. SALFORD.—Mr. Langworthy was duly elected for Salford on Monday last. GREENWICH.—The returning officer has issued an official notice fixing the nomination for Monday next, at the hustings fronting St. Alphage Church, Green wich. The two candidates now in the field, Lieut.- General Sir William Codrington and Colonel Sleigh, are actively engaged in canvassing the electors, and the friends of each are equally sanguine of success. NEWPORT (ISLE OF W/GHT).—The now writ ordered on Tuesday was received on Wednesday morning, when the Mayor immediately appointed Monday next for the day of nomination, and Tuesday for the day of polling. Mr. Kinglake, it is said, stands no chance, but he has not resigned. SOUTIRMPTON.—TIIO election will take place on Tuesday next. The writ was received on Wednesday night, and the returning officers have fixed Monday for the nomination, and Tuesday for the polling.