The Press. — London, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

11."," 180 -. THE WEEK. Our Eastern " difficulties " continue to increase in magnitude and perplexity. Both in China and Persia hostilities were resorted to before the effects of negotiation had been fairly tried, and, as the natural result, we are now involved in war with both countries, while the public is amused on the one hand with pretences that the Persian Envoy has arrived with full powers for the settlement of the differences with his Court, and on the other that the Canton authorities would yield to the demands of our officials in China. FERoux KHAN, the Persian Envoy, who was expected to arrive in London this week, has postponed, if not relinquished, his intention of visiting our Court. He left Teheran on his pacific mission before the capture of Bushire by a British force; and that act of hostility has so altered the whole complexion of the case, that he has, we have reason to believe, received instructions from his Government which will modify, if not neutralise, the contemplated arrangements. Mean while our operations against Persia are gradually assuming a scale of great magnitude. The port and town of Bushire are occupied by our forces, as if permanent possession were intended. A church has been built, schools have been established, and a racecourse opened. A pack of fox-hounds is alone required to render English occupation complete. We have no further accounts of proceedings on the side of Affghanistan, though the communications with Don. MOHAMMED and the collection of troops on the Affghan frontier indicate that au attempt may not improbably be made to march against Herat by Can dahar or Cabul. _ _ In the event of continued hostilities with Persia, the attitude of the Russian Government will become a matter of grave importance. The exact relations of that Government with the Court of Teheran are not precisely known. Lord PALMERSTON in the House on Thurs day evening said that he knew nothing of the secret treaty concluded between Persia and Russia on the sth of January, by which Russia has obtained an important cession of territory com manding the road to Erzeroum, on which a line of frontier fortresses is at once to be constructed. But the Noble Viscount's memory•, in all that relates to secret treaties, is so con veniently short that his ignorance on the present occasion need excite no surprise. From the interviews which have recently taken place between General CHRULEFF, the commander of the Russian forces on the northern frontier of Persia, and a Persian envoy, it appears probable that our occupation of the frontier provinces of Persia by Russian troops may take place, on the plea of internal disturbances in the Persian kingdom. The general policy of Russia may probably be to occupy portions of the Persian territory much more than equivalent to any occupation by British forces on the side of the Persian Gulf; and, in this manner, supposing the British war to last for any considerable time, the Persian kingdom may in the end be dismembered. With respect to China there is little to communicate. The position of affairs up to the 31st of December had not improved. The Cantonese remain sullen, but warlike; and we can neither advance nor retreat. Indeed our position was becoming critical The Canton river swarmed with war junks, which rendered the passage of the river, except under convoy of a man-of-war, highly dangerous. The Chinese of Hong Kong were exhibiting signs of insubordination ; and so great was the fear that an attempt would be made to burn down the Hong Kong factories that the French Admiral was requested to land a strong force of seamen and marines for their protection. For the rest, Sir MICHAEL SEymoutt waits for troops from India to attempt the capture of Canton ; and the public in England are as eagerly anticipating the debate next week upon the motion brought forward by the Earl of DERBY, with the view of getting at some information upon the real cause and origin of these most untoward hostilities. The financial debate on Mr. DisaaELfs resolution opened last night with great spirit. The Right Hon. Gentleman showed that the finan cial scheme of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was utterly delusive —that if acted on it must involve an annual deficiency of five millions in the two years following the one for which provision is made, and would certainly perpetuate the Income Tax. He advocated generally a return to the financial arrangements and expenditure of the year 1853. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER scarcely attempted to grapple with Mr. Disaarm's facts and reasoning. He urged that it was his pro vince only to look to the ensuing year; but of this excuse he had obviously deprived himself by arranging certain schedules of taxation, as income tax, and tea and sugar duties, for three years. Mr. GLAD STONE gaVC his uncompromising support to Mr. DISRAELI'S resolution, and devlared his intention of using every means in his power to restore the arrangements of 1853. Mr. LUNG also warmly supported Mr. DISRAELI'S resolution. Mr. Witsos had no better argument to use in reply to the evidence of a certain deficiency in future years, than that the military and naval estimates might then be reduced. This is cne very important point for the House to consider. If those estimates are to be reduced in future years, nothing can be more impolitic than to fix them on the extravagant scale proposed by the Government. A system of niggardly economy will be introduced, which must impair the efficiency of our armed establishments. Better a thousand times that they should at once be placed on a per manent footing than that they should hereafter be subject to grinding reductions The progress of the debate will be watched with intense anxiety, for rarely has there been a discussion in which more important principles were involved. We have great satisfaction in stating that Mr. MILLER, the Con servative candidate for Colchester, has had a most successful canvass. The intelligence with which ne has enunciated his views, and the honest independence he has displayed, has won him golden opinions. Mt. Crortoos Br now, on this occasion the representative of the Liberal THE PRESS. SATURDAY, party, has found it necessary to resort to every species of unworthy stratagem to procure votes He has circulated all sorts of false stories about his influence with the Government and his good deeds towards Colchester. It is strange to find a man in such a position who has always and justly been regarded as a gentleman. What a pernicious bias Whiggery must give to the mind which has imbibed it, when we find men of station and character descending to ouch low devices and intrigues as we are sorry to hear Mr. REBOW has adopted in his candi dature for Colchester ! Mr. LOCKE KING, on Thursday, was the cause of an interesting debate, with his proposition to assimilate the Franchise in Counties and Boroughs. Viscount PALMERSTON, " who hates Reform like a Bourbon," was the first to oppose the proposition. The House had too much business before it for attention to the measure; and " in " these matters, it is much safer to see one's way, and to take one step "at a time. To be sure, large measures were necessary in 1831 and " 1832, but the same state of things does not now exist." In short, the Premier very wisely applied the " cold-water cure" to the hot and hasty zeal of the fiery Reformer, Mr. LOCKE KING. Lord JoHN RUSSELL next rose, and his tone was highly significant. In trenchant style the Noble Lord made light of the excuses about Government being too busy, and the House not having time enough. Neither on Church Rates, nor on National Education, nor on Agricultural Statistics, had the Government any measures, so that the plea of time was not avail• able. The Noble Lord then made the following most important statement : I think it may be said, that there is no great pressure in the public mind, no national urgency for the adoption of a comprehensive measure of Reform. For my own part, I should think it was very imprudent in my noble friend (Lord Palmerston) if he were now to say that it was the intention of the Government to disturb the Legislature and the mind of the country by such a comprehensive measure. These are important words from Lord Joey RUSiELL. Mr. RENTINCIL (Member for West Norfolk) pithily inquired of Lord JOHN RUSSELL what were the practical measures brought forward by his own Cabinet from 1810 to 1852 ; and we must say that the question was well put. Sir JAMES GRAHAM attempted to defend Lord JOHN RUSSELL:—" To " the Noble Lord is mainly due (! ) the Reform Bill of 1832." It would seem that Sir JAMES GRAHAM is anxious to renew his old ties with the Noble Member for London. The reference to " finality" by the Right Hon. Baronet was rather maladroit. In his own language he again " did penance on the floor," by admitting that once he had been in favour of " finality ;" but it " had been his fortune to " live long enough to know that that ground was wholly untenable. Mr. SIDNEY lIERBERT made a very clever speech, which was loudly cheered by the Opposition. " If," said the Right Hon. Gentleman, " 10/. is to be the only franchise, how can you defend the existence of " boroughs at all ?" and he drew the attention of the House to the opinion entertained by the promoters of the original Reform Bill, " that time great error of that Bill was the uniformity of its franchise." The antagonism of Lord Joni.; RUSSELL to the Prime Minister, and the divergence of opinion manifested between Sir JAMES GRAHAM and Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, are Parliamentary• incidents that cannot be overlooked at the present time. We beg to call the attention of our readers to the very important despatch of Prince GORTSCHAKOFF in answer to the despatch of Lord CLARENDON, of the 12th of November last, published in THE PRESS of last week. We will at present say no more of the important document we print than that, after reading its arguments, couched in the most temperate and conciliatory language, we can well understand Lord CLARENDON'S reasons for declining to publish the correspondence. The debate last week upon the motion brought forward by Cap tain LEICESTER VERNON, relative to the removal of General Pou-ocK from the direction of the Last, India Company, has caused a good deal of discussion. It is said, and we have reason to believe with much truth, that the removal of the gallant officer has some significant relation to the perpetration of a certain job. When the matter was first broached, Sir GEORGE POLLOCK resisted, and though by no means the sole objecting individual in the Court, yet he was about the only one competent to give an opinion upon the subject. Those who know Sir GEORGE POLLOCK will readily believe that his opinion upon the matter was as manly and straightforward as it was sound and honest. In short, his high, independent, and conscientious feelings of what was just and honourable, gave, it is said, so much weight to that opinion, that the gallant general's removal was considered by the head of the department as a sine qud non to the success of the little job. Some hints thrown out by Mr. VERNON SMITH, as to his own conve nience leading him " to prefer gentlemen who never interfered with " him," tend to the belief that these rumours are not entirely destitute of foundation ; and, indeed, those hints themselves may opportunely be intended as cautions to others. Where a packed jury is a thing of necessity, the right of peremptory challenge must be insisted on. Should these surmises be correct, the public may shortly expect the true reason of this apparently capricious proscription to be fully exposed. We cheerfully admit that t h e appointment of Mr. HENRY MARTLEY to be Chief Commissioner of the " Court of Encumbered Estates in Ireland is an excellent choice. Mr. MARTLEY is a Conservative barrister of great eminence, whose name has occasionally been cited in our columns amongst the leading notabilities of the professior. in Ireland. He is the near relative of Lord Justice BLACIBURNE, ar.d enjoys much personal popularity. His rank at the Bar, both as an advocate and lawyer, gives strong ground for hoping that he will be on effective Chief Commissioner. Mr. WHITESIDE mentioned in the House of Commons that there were 700 petitions for sale, and 500 abstracts of title, left as arrears by Baron RICHARDS, and we have heard ourselves many things about this " Encumbered Court," to which we may advert at a future time.