The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

JUNE 6, 1857. still ; in vain their obstinate refusal to pay more for a ser vioe which the " braves " represent as too dangerous for a "brave " to undertake at less than double the amount ! they have been at length compelled to suspend their pay ments altogether; and the adroitness of Yeh has been put in requisition to cover the act of insolvency with the cloak of magnanimoas compassion for the woes with which the rude and obdurate barbarians have so long been punished. The successes of the rebels both in the north and south provinces were reported to be very great, and from the impoverished state of the public treasury, and the large arrear of pay owing to the imperialist troops, it was considered doubtful whether they would not desert in a body to the rebels : It is now confirmed—what before was vaguely ru moured—that the rebels of Kiangsi are in possession of the Chang-Ituh-Shan pass, which commands the only road from that province into the fertile and rich maritime province of Che-Keing; that the western part of that of FUltien is in their hands, together with the mountain passes which lead into Kiiingsi; that Kweiling-fn, the capital of Kwingsi, so long besieged in vain by the " God worshippers " at the beginning of their rising in that their native province, has at length yielded itself, and become " a possession," and that two of their chiefs have actually established themselves in the north of Kwangtung itself, while a third, their formidable Le, at the head of some tIO,IKIO men, who have followed him from Kwangsi into that province, has taken several of its southern cities, and from the easternmost, Tekheng now threatens a visit to Canton itself, the capital of the province.— Times cor. So great was the pressure felt at Shanghai that the Chinese Government, it was reported, had legalised the importation of opium by fixing a duty of twelve taels a chest. The horrible murder at Hong Kong of Mr. Markwich, one of the oldest members of the British mercantile community, was reported. H.M.S. Raleigh was only very slightly injured by striking on the rocks off Macao, and by no means in danger of total loss. COUNT CAVOUR ON SIR R. PEEL. COUNT CAvoun, in the sitting of the Sardinian Senate of the 20th ult., made the following observations respecting the policy of the late Sir Robert Peel. The policy of England having been quoted as an ex ample for the gradual introduction of free-trade measures, Count Cavonr said : England was the first to advance in the path of econo mical reforms, and for that very reason she was obliged to advance cautiously. But, gentlemen, when the reform was accomplished, do .you think that those who opposed it declared that it was well to have advanced cautiously 9 No, gentlemen ' • and Sir Robert Peel himself, when he said free trade had calmed the crisis of 1547, expressed his regret that he had not had the courage to propose it twenty years earlier, to prevent the crisis of 1824. 1 therefore think that it would be a folly not only to follow the example of England in the reforms realised, but also in the manner of accomplishing them. Let us learn by the experience of others ; let us be warned by the errors of other nations not to commit similar errors ourselves ; and when we oehold those nations who have attained great prosperity proclaim certain principles in an absolute manner, let us adopt them, and apply them to as full an extent as it is in our power to do. Many of the reforms which we have boldly adopted were only accomplished gradually in Eng land. The Corn-law Bill only passed after a struggle of twenty five or thirty years. The struggle commenced in 1817 and lasted till 1846, when Sir Robert Peel caused the bill to pass. And here, while following in the steps of England. we have yet adopted free trade at once ; we have even gone ahead of England, for she maintains still a duty —slight, it is true—while we have abolished it altogether. And now I must reply to the quotation of Sir Robert Peel as an authority. I repeat it, I entertain the highest admitation for that statesman ; I believe that few men have rendered greater services to mankind than he has. Yet I do not believe that Sir Robert Peel was always in fallible in his political career. It is my opinion that Sir 11. Peel would have left a much more illustrious name behind him, if, instead of having been compelled by cit.- cinnqances to introduce reforms, he himself had originated them. I think that Sir Robert Peel would have left be hind him a fame unequalled in history, if, instead of pro posing the emancipation of the Catholics in 1829, be had proposed it in 1825 ; I think that his name would have eclipsed all thosellof ancient Tend modern statesmen if the reform of the corn laws had been initiated in 1840—a good harvest year— instead of being passed in consequence of the famine which desolated Ireland, and instead of being in some measure a consequence of the potato disease. In fact, if Sir Robert Peel had been the originator of reforms, he would at his death have left to his friends a political inheritance far different from that which he bequeathed to them. If Sir R. Peel had associated his name and his whole cat eer with successive reforms there would be no need of recording at the present time a strange fact which has taken place in England—namely, that a party consisting of eminent men, including the most eloquent speaker in Parliament, and the most able legislators, has been completely routed at the late elections. And this, gentlemen, is the fate of parties who allow them selves to be led by public opinion, and who wait to the last moment to carry out reforms which they have not the courage tc introduce. I trust that the Senate, convinced of this truth, will give its support to the present Govern ment, which, while following the example of Sir Robert Peel, nevertheless deviates from the course he adopted by making itself the originator of reforms, not wishing to grant them to any popular pressure, nor to the pressure of unforeseen circumstances. T HE PRESS. THE EXPEDITION TO PERSIA. THE latest intelligence from Mohammerah, up to the 22nd of April, states that the troops continue healthy, but that the weather was becoming hot, and that the known insalubrity of this " pestilential hole " was exciting the anxious solicitude of Sir James Outram for the care of his soldiers. The ground twelve miles higher up the Karoon was being examined in the hope that it might prove a better situation for the camp We are in great difficulty about our troops. Sir James, it appears, had intended, on hearing that peace had been signed, to withdraw a large portion of them to India, in order to prevent their unnecessary exposure to this dread ful climate during the summer months. Now it is re ported that he does not feel himself authorised to do so, and must house the troops and supply them, here and at Bushire, as best he may. It is said that he is greatly annoyed at being thus unnecessarily embarrassed, and who can wonder at it ? However, he intends to do the best he can, and is at work day and night giving directions and superintending the arrangements for the location of the troops. Captain Green, his military secretary, and the quartermaster-general are to be despatched to Sablah, a place twelve miles higher up on the banks of the Karoon, to report upon its fitness for a military camp ; and Sir James intends going thither himself, with General Havelock and the superintending surgeon, to see how far it promises to be a healthy locality. It is beyond the swamps, and mud huts may be erected there without great difficulty. One great drawback is that the summer is fast approaching, and unless the men have better protection than tents great sickness may arise among them. Something of the same kind is to be done at Bushire, and Sir James talks of going thither as soon as he has perfected the arrangements here. If the Ministry at home had only left matters in his hands a better peace would have been made, and one condition would have been that he should locate his troops in the most healthy locality while it was necessary for them to occupy the country. According to the terms of the treaty the ratifications may be delayed till the beginning of June, and we are to con tinue here till Affghanistan has been evacuated by the Persian troops, and until the British mission has been received at Teheran.—Letterfroni Camp, April 2nd. The Persian army was even in a less satisfactory condition than our own : Reports received from the districts about Shuster and Dizful give a lamentable description of the Persian army. After their disgraceful flight at the appearance of the three small river steamers they retired to Dizful, and were plundered at every step by hordes of marauding Arabs. Shortly after their arrival at that post an urgent application was received by the Shahzadah from the Government party at Shuster, representing that the sheiks and townspeople were ripe for revolt, and would certainly massacre them unless assistance were sent to them immediately. The Shahzadah accordingly marched thither with several regiments, but their situation is rather precarious, as the people are reported to be plotting with the Itukhtiari fur their expulsion. The entire army is unpruvided with tents, and very badly off for supplies. The Shahzadah is anxious to retire upon Ispahan, but such is the attitude assumed by the Bukhtiari and Seg wend that he is atraid to attempt a march through the passes. His own son prepared to start for the interior a short time ago, but dread of the wild mountain tribes has decided him to remain where he is for the present. There can be little doubt that were it now allowable for us to ad vance upon Shuster, the whole Persian army would surrender et discretion rather than fight or attempt to furce their way towards Ispahan. Great dissatisfaction appears to be felt in the Anglo- Indian camp at the sudden conclusion of peace : The longlookelfor steamer Comet has arrived from Bagdad, bringing Galignani up to the Irith ult. J suppose the draught of the treaty therein published may be regarded as authentic. As far as I can learn, Ferouk Khan had consented to much more than we have now obtained from Persia in his negotiations with Lord Strat• ford de Itedcliffe, and what has finally been agreed upon seems to be very much below what we had imperatively demanded. All these concessions, moreover, have been made subsequent to our successes over the Persian forces. We feel persuaded that, though Sir James might not have insisted upon all the original demands, he would certain!) , have obtained something more than what hes now satis• fled the English Ministry.—lb. Several accidents in the Karoon are reported. Among them that of a youngster named Birch, a midshipman of the Falkland, who while bathing in a creek was carried away by the stream and drowned before assistance could be rendered. A letter from Bagdad, May 4, gives some details of interest concerning the intended return to Teheran of the British Mission : The Government of his Majesty the Shah•in•Shah of Iran hes apparently shown no disinclination to confirm tho treaty of peace entered into at Paris on the 4th of March of this year between Lord Cowley on the part of England, and Ferouk Khan on that of Persia; for although by the articles of the treaty three months were allowed before it was necessary that the respective copies, after having been ratified at London and Teheran, should he exchanged at Bagdad, yet so great has been the speed at which the Persian messengers hare travelled that the further ratinntion of the peace baa taken place one DAQ3I,OI 553 and two days before the stipulated time. It is rather re• markable, as showing the great desire of the Persians for peace, that the bearer of the Teheran copy of the treaty actually arrived here before the English copy of the treaty had been received. It is to be hoped that the Per- sians will show the same alacrity in withdrawing their troops from Herat. Hassan•Ali•Khan, the chief of the Ghabour tribe, is on his way here to tender the requisite explanations to Mr. Murray, and to invite him in the name of the Shah of Persia to return to Teheran. It is likely that the British Embassy will leave Bagdad in fifteen days from this time. As the markets have been drained to supply the wants of the army at Bushire there will be some difficulty in procuring the necessary number of mules and other beasts of burden, and the cortege of the ambassador will be numerous ( probably 500), including the Persians who took refuge under his protection. The mission has now been resident at Bagdad for more than twelve months, and never at any time have there been so many English together within the walls of the ancient city of the Caliphs as at the present. Including some officers of General Oritram's staff, there may be nearly twenty English here in all, yet the natives of the city are by no means as yet accustomed to the novelty of their appearance, and they are followed by crowds wherever they go. Major Barr, of the Bombay army, has been for some days employed in taking photographic views of the mosques and minarets and ancient buildings of the city. Mr. r3tephens, her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Tehe ran, leaves to day for London with the ratified copy of the Anglo-Persian Treaty. The Persians here seem to be rather amused than grafi fled at the favour shown to their countryman Ferouk Khan at Paris and London, and all say that the treaty would have been received with greater favour had it been rt ferret for confirmation to Sir James Outran, who came out tr•on England not only to assume the command of the anal * but empowered to treat for peace. It will be impossible to remove the army from Bushire until the month of September, on account of the south•western monsoon, which sets in about the middle of June. There might be time to withdraw a portion of the Euro. pean troops before then, but we must remain until the conditions of the treaty have been fulfilled ; though, in truth, the Persians do not seem disposed to avoid them. An officer of high rank is to meet the English mission at the frontier, and each tribe is to furnish an escort through its territories. It is expected the march will occupy six weeks. Mr. Stevenson, consul at Bagdad, has arrived in London with the ratified treaty, which will shortly be laid before Parliament. GENERAL CONCHA AT CUBA.—A recent letter from Madrid gives the following account of the policy of General Concha towards the slave dealers of Cuba : "In the early days of this (his second) command in Cuba he pursued the slave trade with extraordinary rigour and activity. Cordons of troops were estab lished on all sides, and frequent domiciliary visits were made to the plantations. When this vigilance and severity had produced their effect, and, owing to the rarity of the article, the value of negroes had nearly doubled itself, the Captain General suddenly relaxed the rein, and connived at importation, on condition of receiving four ounces per head fur each negro, instead of two, with which his predecessors had contented themselves. It is estimated that 10,000 slaves have been brought into Cuba during his command there, and that he has made about 800,000 dollars by the transaction. To this enor mous sum must be added, it is said, others also very considerable, received in the form of pots de vin, in other words, bribes, for preferences and protection granted to particular enterprises. So that General Jose Concha, who is noted for his parsimony, will return to Europe with a princely fortune." A NEW MANURE has been invented by M. Biches, a gentleman of some note in the agricultural world in Paris. It is a chemical composition, the nature of which is still kept secret by the inventor ; but its mode of application is rather curious, the grain in tended to be sown being mechanically coated with the compound previously to its being consigned to the earth. The rich principle being thus in imme diate contact with the seed to be developed, the soil needs no other kind of manure. Four pounds of the compound are sufficient for an acre of land. According to M. Biches experiments, the application of his manure would raise the present yield of France from 82,000.000 hectolitres of wheat to 410,000,000. Dr. Stockhard, Professor at the Academy of Tharand, in Saxony, has lately pro nounced in favour of this system. A NEW DISCOVERY or GUANO has taken place off Cuba. The Keys rocks, just off the south side of the island, have Leen found to be covered with guano to that extent that 150,000 tons might Le " annually extracted." Upon an analysis this guano presents some singular properties distinct from the guano of Peru, for it possesses uric acid, urate of ammonia, ammoniacal salts, forty per cent of sulphate of tuna, and twenty peg ccut of phosphate of lime.