The Sun. — London, England, 1857-02-25 00:00:00

It might be said that it would bo better oven to bear those evils ths.n run the risk of ; but such was not the feel ing of the British residents at Canton. It is a seurce of humiliado n as it is a c:enstarit reproach, that we have not gained the objects of the war. This is felt net only at Canton but at Amoy, Shanghai, and the other ports, where large numbers of Canton men aro; and in 1816 it led to serious riots at Fowchow. My lords, this is a very SE rious question for all foreign residents, who are in a ,ta.te of con& nit appreheusion from the anoma lous, nominally allocable state in which they now stand towards the Chinese ; they are without the walls, unable to communicate with the Chinese authorities in inattrs of daily occurrence, and are in a st to of con stant .I , Prolleusifm• 'dy noble friend rays that the late operation should nothave been Indertaken without express instructions from the home government. Let me remind him of what took place in 1817 under precisely analogous circumstances. At that time several outrages had been committed on British subjects, and a number of seamen had been decoyed into the suburbs of Canton and nearly mar (l.recl. Sir J. asvis p!aeerl the matter in thehands of Gen. D'Aguilar. He at once took the Bogue Forts, blew up tho batterie s , and sp i ked 879 guns. When that hail b en done Sir J. Davis obtained an interview with the High Commis sioner Keying, and he then sent in a written list of de mands; atnonoit them was that of entrance into Canton. The circumstances in that year were strictly analogous to the present. In both cases there was an infraction of the treaty, in both cases a demand for reparation. The only difference was, that in this case there was much more mo deration displayed tbaa in 1845. Tne conduct of Sir J. Davis an I Gen. d'Aguilar on that occasion was warmly anpr , ved of by Lord Palmerston. In his despatch he ata tea:— granted to foreigners. A foreigner under a certificate of na turalisation proceeded to the continent, to the kingdom of which he was a subject,setting forth nectar the authority of the 001 ti ticato that he was a British subject. " No," said the Government., "you era not a British subject in virtue of that instrument of naturalisation; England can give no such right as against us. You are the subject of this coun try." The gentleman returned to England :.nd complained to the Home-office that ho was disappointed as to the effect of the certificate. I dare say your lordships have seen the answer of Mr. Wad.iington in the name of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. It said, "As against us, you may avail yourself of the certificate of naturalisa tion, but as against foreigners, as against your own coun try, it confers on you no right whatever." I say, there fore, my lords, on general principles, without resorting to any particular argument arisingfrom any documents which have been laid on your lordships' table,—l say, on general principles, this feeble a Chinese ship, owned by a Chinese, nothing can at all affect the right of the Chinese Govern meat to go on board on any occasion to exercise dominion over it, to take out one or more of the crew, or to do any act which they might be disposed to do in consequence of events brought to their knowledge. (Hear, hear.) If I make myself understood with respect to this proposition and were to pause here it would be unnecessary to proceed further; but what is the next step? What is the instru ment under which it is contended there was a transfer of the character of the vessel, a transfer of ownership which converted this Chinese vessel into an English vessel ? It is an ordinance of the Colonial Government. By that ordinance a Chinese who has entered into the colony, who holds land under the Crown, and is the owner of a Chime ship or any other vessel, may apply for a register, and upon giving certain security the registry gives him a right to use an English flag. A register was granted to a man admitted to be :a Chinese. There is no dispute about the facts that the owner was a Chinese, and the ves sel a Chinese built vessel. Now, by a law of the Colonial Legislature, a Chinese vessel cannot be con verted into an English ship. I will not pretend to say rights may not be given by this colonial instrument, but I say you cannot make an English vessel by that means independently of the general principle I have stated —(hear, hear, hear)--you cannot make it an English ship ; you cannot give the right to hoist an English flag. That is so clear, so indisputable, that I am quite sure no lawyer will controvert it. An act of the Colonial Legisla ture can have no effect whatever against an act of the Imperial Parliament. The act of Parliament to which my noble friend has referred says in the most precise terms that nothing but what is there sot down shall be deemed a British ship. The act is not confined to England ; it is not confined to these islands: it applies to all our posses sions, and it says no vessel can be deemed a British ship, or have the character of a British ship, unless it is owned by an Englishman, by a natural-born subject, or by a per son who has obtained letters of naturalisation—{The Earl of Derby: "And has taken the oath of allegiance I—and has taken the oath of allegiance. In the face of this act of Parliament the ordinance of the Colonial Legislature is tiles.date:y nothing, and altogether void as f ar as it re l a t es to the p o int i n question. You cannot in a law of the Colonial Legislature convert this vessel into a British ship. It is said, "True, it may not be a British ship, but she had a British flag, and some insult has been offered to the British flag." Why ! • Under the act of Parliament no vessel car. by law use the British flag but a British ship, and any one who attempts to use a British flag, except on hoard a British ship, is by the 133 d section subject to a very grievous penalty. Therefore, both on general prin ciples, and on the particular point of this ordinance, the justification in this case entirely fails. Something was said about some certificate, some license which was granted. A register was granted on the 27th of September, 1855, to expire in a year. The vessel arrived on the 3d of October, six days after the expiration of the license. Thu-, when we seek the facts of the original ground of discussion in the case, we find that the license for the vessel had expired, and she was no longer a British vessel. Any Chinese authority could go on board and seize crimi nals, as the vessel had ceased to be a British vessel, even according to the argument on the other side. I believe the law is to the effect that a renewal of the license must be made seven days before the expiration of the old license, but no such thing was done in this case. Some ex cuse had been suggested to the effect that the vessel was at sea, but there really is no foundation for that suggestion, for during the whole time the vessel was sailing up and down the river, and never was at sea at all. Thus, suppos ing that the lorcka had ever bad a license and a British re gister it had ceased, and her legal protection as such had also ceased. Sir J. Bowring, who is a distinguished huma nitarian as well as plenipotentiary—(a,laugh)—himself ad mits the register is void, and that the vessel was not en titled to hoist the English flag. Now, mark what he says— , " The vessel had no protection, but the Chinese do not knqw this ; for Goa's sake do not whisper it to them." (Hear.) He persevered, too, for he said in effect, "We knew the Chinese have not b een gu ilt y o f any violation of treaty, but we will not tell them AO ; we will insist upon a reparation, and a return of the men they have seized in a particular form." If the men were not returned in the form, what was to be the remedy? Why, to seize a junk, a was junk; if that was not sufficient, seize more, until we compelled them to submit, although we knew theyhad the right on their side, and we had no justice on ours—(hear) and although the officerdirecting those measures was the representative of the Sovereign of Great Britain, whose honour he was bound to protect, but which he was compro mising by plunging into a war. Was there ever conduct more abominable, more flagrant, in which, I will not say more fraudulent, bat what is equal to fraud in our coun try, more false pretence has been put forward by a public man in the service of the British Government? Then we are told of an insult offered to our flag. Why, the Vessel was not an English vessel ; she had no right to carry our flag.' If a man hoists a flag without authority to do so it would on a monstrous assertion to believe that his own wrongful act protects bins. Sir J. Bowring, in the second letter, admits it to be quite clear that the Arrow had no r.ght to hoist the English flag. He abandons that part of his c'lee but adds, " as the Chinese do not know it, we will call it an insult, and insist upon reparation." It is not true that, the Chinese insulted our flag. There is not the slightest foundation for imputing such an intention to the Chinese. The whole question is one of right.. The Chi nese governor, from the first, said, " It is a Chinese ship. She is in no sense a British vessel; why do you grant re gisters to foreign vessels ? By so doing you will create dis cord and dissension between up." I cannot point out just now the particular passages to which I refer; but I pledge myself, laving read the papers most carefully, that the go vernor of Canton from the first raised the question, and that there never was any intention to insult the English flag. Now, let us g ,- ) a little further, and see what is urged in juslificat on of these proceedings. The men taken from the vessel were to be returner I, and returned in a particu lar manner. They were returned, but not in proper form, and no apology was made. Just consider what was done. A waOunk eat seized. That was the first step —was that sufficient punishment for the transgression? No, said Sir J Boivring, let us go further, and batter down a small fort. Surely if the case was as it is represented to be on the other side, Sir J. Bowring might have paused at that stage, and have said—" I have punished you enough. I have token your junks and battered your forts. I will do no mere without instructions from ray Government." De might have thought—" I will not involve my country in war. What I have dome has been for the vindication of my honour, but I will not take any further steps which may lead to war without. the authority of my Govern ment." But, no; hedid not think so, and then where was he to stop? He hart no inclination to stop ; be had n wish to do so. Well, my lords, soon after other forts are seized in the neighbourhood of Canton, then the Dutch Folly 'ort ; then th e F renc h F o ll y, then the Bogue Forts, then the fleet of junks was destroyed, the palace of the go vernoriwas bombarded, the wall of Canton was broken down, an-d the town entered in hostile attitude. Is it p s sible fur any man to consider such proceedines, arising upon such a cause, with any degree of calmn ss ? Is it extraor dinary that Sir J. Bowriug should think he had the power of declaring war. I earl utujerstand a man in such a posi tion having necessarily a power of carrying on defensive ope rations, but to carry on offensive operations up n such a ground, upon suet, a pretence, is one of the most extraordi nary proceedings to be fraud in the history of the world. The letter of the noble earl (Grey) to which reference 11 .s been made, refusing to al'ow troops to be sent from Ceylon to China and in the strongest terms, g tve peremptory orders to the Governor in 110 case to undertake or carry on offensive operations without the direct sanction and authority of the Government at home Those injunctions must have been known to Sir J. Bowr ing, and the noble earl below me (Lord Malmesbury), having had an opi.ortunity of reading some de spatches from Sir J. Bowring, mid becoming acquainted with the tone and temper of those documents, gave him instruc tions in the strongest t rms not to undertake any hostile measures without authority from the Government at home. It is quite clear from the papers laid on the table yesterday that from the first moment at which Sir J. Bowring was ap pointed to the station he now fills his ambition was to pre cure what his predecessors had completely failed to effect— namely, an entry within the walls of Canton. (Hear, hear.) It would also appear from some of the letters of the Governor of Canton that the conviction was strongly impressed upon his mind that that was the ultimate object which the British Plenipotentiary had in view. If oven it had been part of the original treaty that we should enter and carry on trade within the walls of the Imperial city, and if the Chinese Go vernor had refused to perform that stipulation, still I contend it would have been quite unworthy of us to endeavour to ac complish that object through the intervention of mere local squabbles; The shedding of blood, under the circumstances, by the local authorities appears to me to be a subversions of every sound principle and wholly indefensible. It may be in the recollection of sonic of your lordships that Sir J. Davis sti pulated with K ey i ng, the then commissioner, that within two byeeaars cutliaert whencases Ge , Sir ei3 admission eaba w m a ithi t r t i e t m he pt w e a d ll t s e s m eo a u ke should arrangements with the Governor to carry out that stipula tion the answer of the Governor was that such would be the ungovernable rage of the population on • • proposition being made to them that it would be utterly t such a carry it into etfect.con siderederly impossible to SiSir G. Bonham really a well-founded objection, and that as e that was the stipulation Wits not insisted on. Subsequently, . easm w G. Bonham being asked in 1846, by the noble lord on Sir h now at the bead of the Government (as we understood) would be the disadvantages to commerce if we were exewludaetdfro within the walls of Canton, Sir George replied that ho could m not say what the Government ought to do in the matter, but he could tell them what they ought not to do, and that was that they ought not to engage in any hostile act to acconi ilish the admission. (Hear, hear.) Sir George added that he did not think it would be an object of great importance to our commerce to be admitted, but this he knew, that it would be dangerous in the last degree to make the attempt, snore especially if it were made by force of arms. (Hear.) But our present plenipotentiary, disregarding all those re peated warnings, and bent only upon carrying his object of gaining, admission within the walls of Canton into execution, has, for no necessary purpose whatever, plunged the country into wisr ; and what is the result Property to the large amount of 1,50 1 1,060 dollars, belonging to British subjects, is new impounded in the city of Canton ; and in addition to that our factories are burnt to the ground ; and all this is owing to the mischievous policy of one of the most mischievous of men—(,l 'augh)— " Foreign-office, June 24, 1847. " Sir—l received yesterday afternoon the duplicate of your despatch of the 12th of April, purporting to give a more de tailed account of the operations against Canton, undertaken in the beginung of that month, than was cowl - tined in your previous despatches ,•f the sth and 6th of April, and I re ceived at the same time your separate despatch of the 10th of April, enclosing a copy of Major-General d'Aguillar's report to the Secretary of State for the War Department. But I have net yet received your despatches of the sth and 6th of April. Although, in consequence of the non -arrival of the previous despatches, her Maj sty's Government have not the means of forming a correct judgment of the grounds on which the expedition was undertaken against Canton, or as to the negotiations which preceded that expedition, yet enough appears from the despatches which they have received from you, and from the articles of agreement concluded with Keying, to show that the expedition was undertaken to obtain redress, which had been refused on the several matters mentioned in that agreement and I have accordingly great satisfaction in stating to you that her Majesty's Government, as at present informed, are of opinion that you were fully justified in having resolved to undertake the expedition, and entirely approve the promptitude and judgment with which the arrangements for it were made, the decision and enter prise with wh.eh it was conducted, and the ability and firm ness with which you seem to have compelled Keying to ac cede to all your demands.—l sin, "PALMERSTON." My lords, that was the first 'lee: atch sent by Lord ealoier kraa apt , r , V . rig of th • pr , ,ceediugs ; another was aflerwar•la bent wi h w hie:l I will not, trouble your lordships, but I may say it was to the same effect. Lord Palmerston wag then the colleague of my not. le friend who sits at the table (Earl Grey), and who, I believe, expressed no disapproval of these operation, • oa the contrary, I believe his appro bation of them has been recorded. lily noble friend shakes his head, but I have a despatch here which will show that Ia n right in that statement. I was not aware of ;ts existence until lately, and it is not, therefore, included iu the papers which have been laid on the table. If my noble friend has n,, objection I will read it, although it is only "L , echo of what Lord Palmerston wrote to Sir John Davis. My noble friend wrote to Gen. D'Aguilar as fol lows " Colonial-office, Nov. 21, 1847. "Sir —The Governor of Ceylon has com mun i ca t e d t o me an application which you have made to the Major-General commanding her Majesty's troops in that island, for a re inforcement of half a company of artillery, with two guns and a proportionate supply of ammunition, to be held in readiness to he forwarded to Hong Kong, should circum stances render it necessary to undertake any further mili tary operations at Canton. I have desired the Governor of Ceylon not to send to Hong Kona , the detachtnent f or w hi c h you have made a ppli ca ti on ; andl have further to signify to you that her Majesty's Government peremptorily forbid you to undertake any farther offensive operations against the Chinese without their previous sanction. Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that, although the late operations in the Canton river were attended with immediate success, the risk of a second attempt of the same kind would far over balance auy advantage to be derived from such a step. If the conduct of the Chinese authorities should, unfortunately, render another appeal to arms inevitable, it will be necessary that it should be made after due preparation, and with the • employment of such an amount of force as may afford just grounds for expecting that the objects which may be pro posed by such a measure will be effectually accomplished without unnecessary have, elte., GREY." My lords, those are the words of my noble friend, and although they do not directly and pointedly approve of what had occurred, they certainly contain no disapproba tion. (Hear, hear.) That the matter did not proceed fur ther in 1816 was owing to the small force at the disposal of Sir John Davis; he said he should not have felt confident of success had he not been allowed to act immediately, and to make an attack partaking of the character of a coup-de main; he did so act, and negotiations were afterwards concluded with the Chinese authorities because he could obtain no relief from Ceylon which he had written for. And this brings me to the letter of my noble friend which hal been laid upon the table at his own request., and upon which lie says be took the opinion of the late Duke of Wel lington. My noble friend wished it to he understood that no operations could be undertaken against China for tarry insult to the British flag . or an infraction of a treaty with but u out instructions to that eff ec t f rom t h e h ome Government ; upon looking at my noble friend's despatch, I find that so far trom that being so, the instructions it contains wore not general instructions at all, but merely prudent, and necessary orders, which were called for by the exigen ci-s of the moment. Because it was quite clear then that no force could have been sent him from Ceylon of sufficient strength to have enabled General D'Aguilar to nn lertako any further operations against the Chinese with a chance of success, my noble friend, therefore, did not refer to operations against the Chinese generally, hut only to those which had just been concluded; while there was au a :ditional ieeson for the instructions being given at the met:lent, in the then d-p;ordely defenceles state of CL's on. (ffeer.) But, my ler Is, if the atithoriti must wait fur the am. rob.ion of the home goveru went b e f ere en ca g ing iu siorh offend vo operations as circuinstauces may cell fo-, if that is to he considered as the force aid mean ing of the order issued by my noble friend, I can only say teat nothing would be more calculated to cast dismay orneriest the British reeidents in China—not alone in Can ton, but throughout the whole of the Chinese eriSpire. (Elear.) If it is once to he established that we give up the right of the authorities on the spot to act with hostilities, if necessary, when our rights are violated or iiiuries are infliOto , l—if it is to be lad down as a rule that they must first ask for approbation, which can only be obtained after delay of thr:o or flour months, no British subject will be safe ; and, for the sake of securing his life and property, ho will he eompelled to renounce his nationality and seek the protection of K . me foreign power. (Rear.) My lords, if that were to be the rule, he would be subject to insult and wrong at the hazels o' mandarins of the lowest class, and we should Coon hear of outrages being committed, an ler the authority of Chinese law, similar to that re cords I in the bine book, of a foreigner who was tortured for three lays, soil afterwards hanged, his heart being torn front his body while it eves suspended But, my lords, onty consider the impolicy of such an order; under what altered circumstances would force have to be used if it ware delayed until the approbation had been obtained ? The force which might have been sufficient to insure redress at th'3 time would prove most likely to be ineriffieient when celled upon to act four months air so atter the wrong w,,s coolinitted, Toe Chinese would have an ooporritir yof 'l4 the it ,Lriny, of al4ineutinz their fleets, and bar ii a, i ti, fir from obt-iir:ing the redress yen r. , ll;emi you mig ., t ; t r1tt.4,1, hecau,o it coal net be eeforced. (Ilear.) Ido trust, then, that your lord-hips will not air.., to any resolution which can have such an effect as to fetter the discretion and tie tip the heads of her Mejeety'e servants in China in such a manner as will bring alis:eracr on our neme and flan, and be ruin elle to our comincree. (heer.) Ler 1 1 .41. - NlillUilo', P. —I have paid great attention to the raper.; that have b :ea la'il upon your and I em serry to say that I have come. to the painful con clusion that the proceedings out of which this unfertunate dispute has arisen cannot he justifie I upon any pr,neiples either of law or of reason. (Rear, hear.) After the full, comprehensive, and conclusive arguments which have been a idressed to your lordships by my noble friend the Earl of Derby, and no part of which has been answered by the noble earl opposite—(hear, hear)—l should not have risen to address your lordships upon this part of tho case, were it net that a report hes boon circulated that I entertained 'spoil this sehjeet Opinions different from those of my noble friend. There is no foundation for such an observation. I do not feel that I possess any authority personal to my self upon a question of this nature; and I shall, therefore, etete shortly, and ra'her in the hem of a summary, those arguments anal reasons which have lea me to the vote which am r , bout to give, and will leave your lordships to judee of their It is impre-ihle to be too precise tipon a tilifiAtioli Of thi.l luttUrd. (Hear, hear.) What is the charge which is on the present occasion preferred against the Chinese Government ? It is that they have infringed the 9th article of the supplemental treaty which has been referred to. By that supplemental treaty they bad undei taken, in the event of any Chinese having made his encepe and concealed himself on board en English ship, that application should be male to the English outheritie , , and fleet if it were found that the charge was well founded that th e persnn so conet,aled sho Icr old I'M delivered up. The y eseenee of this charge is that the party has taken re- I tug e on board an English ship. It cannot be pretended for Ilmtl 'ent thet where a• Chinese culprit has taken refuge ioh_elred_aoC.hinese ship anal concealed himself there, the 07,:rer;:inerit has not a perfect right to apprehend the treaty, Looking therefore to the language of :g:o the very reason of the thing, it must be een , 6 :f u to • dr e :b u s , ol l r et e,u l ir t o an English ship. So the gees itself into this—was the Ar nie-, within the nea,vie4 an Eeglish ship I ? ant smse of this arrangement, the very languag e of Vi e eZ ert— r Tnd assert it in , ,overn. vent—that in no respect whatever was the Arro'e This is the very essen ee eto i 1-Z n a c lt ''gli:4liship• (Cheers.) I of the whole quell- ek e! . (flier, hear.) Now, ,nylur,.,,tl", • lio Ole will stitHe'leaul°l; icnoenttoc layt '17;1; a pr/ii . tir e —Th.it you may ;give any right, or Miy 01. ft) A foreign vo. ,: sel a i i„ 3 your , eive,, but ! nut ;„; ~,,i,,st That is the t th' o o ea.se i :sod txo others o.f t)usame rlescription to which the noble earl ita 9 o t h ers elt rt ' , ray give right s as j ageing yourselves. You nrly pass a raw.tor that viirmie. tights to the subject of a fora:, But yettbeyari;togfyi7ut','"n?.:,, as against tl47,astirbyaiirilywoviiseta:e COIIII he is a subject. ( Hear.) No man eau, nosy she low of reason, diepute that pr . oreedtion. y„,, can. not, ther,fore, ,chute yen have a forelgu ~:iwb r iea d , by a f't. rh e e inf., re, Engted. .1411 . to beieg it .whin th e teri:s thie (ch I r.ie ehe e ‘7,-, ore n f with ern natir , o, we beet, a iof laces:' 1.. w rand loose: /lotion of mairality in regard to them. In order the belterto,, ap preeiete the queetion; will c h e w. ° the situ ti" t o 2 . 1 , 111 C I rie,. I will take the CaSO of an ...I%eric.an sulject ti (iti 'g in ed'ner of an American vu's-el. You mete 4io , a riee, erlow that vietel to assume the English give it 1. ':4 1 1 1 ".4 and privileges rigainet your 0 , .n CrAiL my, hut you cannot alter the character of that vessel as against the United States. You cannot change its character. You cannot prevent the Government of the United States ex reisalg its erilinery dominion over it. (Cheers.) It is irapoesible any men ea , er , ntelf for so I n , . ahsurd, so violeni - , <a e,roposifien. (Ho er. circumstances which occurred - lately in illustrati v 4y re O. , fer to By a law recently p asse d certificates of naturalisation may be n, proud Ma Drest i n a" lit ßat le ma brief authority, ll Most ignorant of what he's most assured, His glassy essence, like an angry ape, Plays such fmtastie tricks before high hetwen, A? make the an7els weep ; w h o, w i th our spleer IA Quid all thems ' elvc:4 lau;l4 mortal." ,lii.,l._t flown, my lords, entirely concurring in the sentiments so ~i,,Lmotion„ (Loud cheers.) co v T i i ?:l i i i t e ei'lifo siu lS lD C,;,loo.l:.:lfi A ; l l isin'ticiii,lii "hi friend (the Earl of Derby) and by the supporters of thi.LOlt observed that it was contended principles of interniagtiott:llaw motion that the Arrow was not an i':nglisli ship, and had 11 : English a snhse tl,, privileges, atdilealqw: eys b st t i l oi t ena t i rt n ao theta laid down, were unfounded which his noble and learned frieanntillunntill directed attention had no l.waring on the Ijoint at issue. t was said the vessel was not an English but a Chines.° vessel. sh e mi g h t as , alleged, have been built by a Chinese, asid ovine ' ‘ l4 . was but lie was a resident at 'long Kon g, an d h ad ac y --o rkg, qutred the navigated by a rights of a British subject there, and she was • cli nes - 0 crew, and counuandect by an English master, Under the treaty Chinese offenders could not be taken by the Chi nese authorities out of British shij s, but an application must be made to the British consul, who would cause them to be apprehended and handed over. In the , same way, English offenders escaping into China were nA permitted to be fol lowed and seized by the English authorities, but were appre hended by the Chinese authorities and handed over. There was no doubt that the Chinese authorities boarded the vessel without first applying to the consul, and the question was, had they a right to do so ? He assumed that the British flag was flying ; that was clear from all the evidence. Yeh, in his first answer on the 10th of October, did not deny it, though he endeavoured to throw doubts upon it afterwards. He held, then, if the British Government authorised a vessel to go to a foreign country, and to carry the British flag, that as between Great Britain and that foreign country such ship was a British ship. (Hear.) That was the law of nations. The government might, perhaps, have improperly authorised the use of the British flag, but that would not justify the foreign government in violating that flag or interferinc with the ves sel, though it might give a right to demand redress as against the government. If Yeh had folio .ved this course and repre sented that the lorcha had no right to carry the British flag, and Sir J. Bo wring had refused to attend to that representation, he would have laid himself open to censure. That, however, was not the course the Chinese authorities took, but they proceeded to decide for themselves as to the right of the vessel to bear the flag under which she traded. He urged upon their lordships not to involve themselvesin difficulties in re gard to international law, the depth and end of which he de fied them to foresee. If they admitted the notion that, having entered into a treaty with a foreign country which stipulated that, quoad that country, any vessel under our flag should be treated as a portion of our territory, and then per mit that foreign country to ente r th a t s hi p b y f orce o f arms, consider what difficulties they would open up. Ho contended that every step which the British authorities had taken in this matter was fully justified by the law of nations. Earl GREY wished to trouble their lordships with a few words in reference to the despatch alluded to by his noble friend (the Secretary of State), which he (Earl Grey) had addressed to the Governor of Hong Kong in the year 1847. His noble friend expressed surprise that he had, with the con currence of the Duke of Wellington, sent a despatch prohibit ing the employment of troops against the Chinese under any circumstances, without the previous consent of the home au thorities. On this subject he would remind his noble friend that what his despatch was intended and was understood to mean had never been doubted. In 1849 Sir George Bonham, writing to the noble hrd (Palmerston), recognised the order as forbidding military operations being undertaken against China without orders from the home Government; and in 1853 Mr. Medlicot, writing by order of the Duke of New castle to General Jervoise, for his information and guidance, recognised the order to which he (Earl Grey) referred. But his noble friend said he should regard with alarm implicit obedience to such an order. He (Earl Grey) confessed he had heard with alarm the observations of his noble friend on the subject. Let them remember what was the purport of the order. It was not to prevent defensive operations, but merely prohibited offensive operations, and he contended still that subordinate officers ought not to be permitted in any case to undertake offensive operations. Nations had no right to resort to hostilities until every.bther means were exhausted, and ono of those means, which must never be neglected, was a demand for redress by the Government of the country in jured to the Government of the country committing the in jury. That was a principle recognised as part of the law of nations. See the danger of the principle for which his noble friend contended. That which was good in China would be good elsewhere. Were they prepared to authorise every con sul or vice.consul in South America or in any other part of the world, where he might happen to be of opinion that there was a case demanding reparation, at once and upon his own authority to make war ? No principle could be more dan gerous; and he thought the statement of his noble friend in creased the necessity on the part of that house of at once putting an effectual check upon the application of such a principle. (Hear, hear.) An unjust war had been com menced in China. Her Majesty's Government were not re sponsible for the commencement of that war, for it was the work of the plenipotentiary there, and that contrary to the orders, so far as the house knew them; of the home Govern ment. But her Majesty's advisers had advised her formally to approve of that war. I cannot but think that they have given that advice hastily, and that further consideration will induce them to alter their views. The papers relating to the question have been laid upon the table ; and if their lordships took no notice of them, if they failed to record a deliberate vote of condemnation upon then; according to all the rules and precedents of Parliament, they would implieclly be bound as approving them. By adopting the resolution of the noble lord (Derby) the house would 'remove from itself this respon. sibility; while in rejecting it, it would take that responsi bility upon itself. And this practical result would follow from such a vote—the recall of Sir J. Bowring. But this question ought not to be considered upon mere party ground —and ho for one strongly protested against such a course. But considering this question as men, as Christians believing the precepts of their religion, their lordships ought tosupport the motion of the noble earl, in favour of which he for one should give his vote. (Hear, hear.) The Duke of ARGYLL regretted that the subject had been discussed more in a technical than a philosophical spirit ; a course into which the supporters of the resolution under con sideration had forced the house. He would remind their lord ships, that the ground of our intercourse with China rested not upon the same grounds as an intercourse with European nations, but upon grounds of trade only. And it was with re gard to a vessel, raising important questions as to this trade, that the present discussion arose. It was impossible that our trade with China could be carried on exclusively in British vessels, and hence the n ecess it y f or the treaty and ordinance to which reference had been so frequently made. The use of the term British lorcha in the treaty was, it was said, not do fined ; but on referring to the treaty it appeared sufficiently plain that a British loreha meant a lorcha havinc , British papers. The ordinance proved that Chi nese who had settled in Hong Kong should be permitted to take out British regis ters. The object of this was the benefit of the Chinese set tlers,• and not to detract from the privileges of China. Now it had been laid down that a vessel carrying the British flag was entitled to be considered a British ship ; but to thiaathe noble earl (Grey) said, supposing a vessel, being a pirate, hoisted our flag, was she protected ? The answer to this was perfectly simple. If a power believed that a pirate hoisted a false flag, then the power had a right to board the vessel, at the risk, of course, of the ship turning out a bona fide barque. And this was the state of things with regard to the Arrow. The Chinese authorities had a right to board her to satisfy their suspicious, but when it turned out as it did, that she was a British vessel, they ought to have made reparation. [The Earl of Derby —They had uo papers.] It vas true that she had no papers on board—(hear)—but they were with the con sul, and would have been forthcoming had the Chinese autho rities thought fit to make inquiries for them. The Earl of CARNARTON moved the adjournment of the debate. (Cries of " No, no," and " Divide." After a short conversation, • Earl GRANVILLE assented to the adjournment of the de. bate till Thursday. Their lordships rose at a few minutes before 12 . from the jurisprudence of the United States, may be abo lished ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he thould be exceedingly glad to promote any inquiry likely to terminate in the result of abolishing the technical diR tinctions which now existed between suits at law and suits at equity—(hear, hear)—which he looked upon as the foundation stone of any effectual reform of our jurisprudence. The Government did not believe this'was a subject that could be properly considered in a commit tee of this house. The question mentioned " a commit tee or otherw'se,” and he had to state that the Govern ment had the question of a public department of public justice, which, if established, ws,uld be a fitting depart ment to refer this question for consideration. (Hear.) BOARD OF HEALTH. Mr. PALE asked the President of the Board of Health when he would bring in a Health of Towns Bill; and whether the bill would carry out the recommenda tions of the committee on the Board of Health ? Mr. COWPER said that he bad already given notice for leave to introduce a bill to amend the Public Health Act on the sth of March. That bill would be similar to the bill referred last session to a select com mittee. Yarbus suggestions had been suggested in it after mature deliberation, and su c h as h e - cons i dered the select committee would have adopted. SARDINIAN MEDALS, Ste. Mr. ESMONDE asked the First Lord of the Trea sury when the issue of the Sardinian medals and the Order of the Medjidi might be expected ? Mr. F. PEEL said the lists were not quite ready. As soon as they were the medals and orders would be dis tributed without loss of time. THE IRISH MILITIA. Mr. ESMONDE asked the First Lord of the Trea sury whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Go vernment to ed.' out for training the Irish militia, and if so, at what period ? . Mr. F. PEEL said that a portion of the Irish militia would be assembled this year for training, but be was unable then to state when they would assemble for that purpose. GENERAL BEATSON. Colonel DUNNE asked the 'Meier Secretary for War whether a court of inquiry, ordered to assemble to inves- Likate charges affecting General Beatson and other Officers of rank, was to be kept secret Mr. F. PEEL said that this Court of Inquiry for in vestigating into the conduct of General Sh'rley relative to his charges r;aiast General Beatson would be like all courts of its class, a closed court. It was a court of preliminary investigation, simil ar to that of a grand jury in civil cases. The parties interested, and their witnesses, would be present. INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM (EDINBURGH). Sir JANIES FERGUSSON asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether there would be any objection to lay upon the table a copy of the report of the Govern ment officer sent lately to Edinburgh to report upon the proposed site of the Industrial Museum I Mr. COWPER—There was no report. An officer con .nected with science and arc had been sent down to Edinburgh to make inquiries relative to the erection of a building for an industrial museum on a site already pur ' chased for that purpose. It was no part of his instruc tions to inquire into any matter relative to the present or any other site. (Hear.) THE JOINT-STOCK ACT. Mr. WILKINSON asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer whether it was the intention of the Government td introduce any measure in this session, either by repealing the exemption clause in the Joint Stock Act of last year, or otherwise, which should have the effect of preventing a recurrenceof the state of litigation which had taken place in the cases of the Tipperary and Royal British Banks ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Government were prepared with a measure on the subject of joint-stock banks, and it would be intro duced by the Vice -President of the Board of Trade as soon as the prospect of public business in that house would allow of the question being properly considered. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE —ASH • WEDNESDAY. Oa the motion of Sir G. GREY, the house, on its rising, was adjourned till two o'clock to-morrow, to allow of bon. members attending divine service according to usual custom with the members of the Government. EEPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM. Sir JOSHUA WALUSLEY, in rising to move for a select committee to consider and report upon• the most practical means for lessenitg the existing inequalities in our represen tative system, and for extending to the unenfranchised that share of political ?ewer to which they may be justly entitled, said he was about to call the attention of the house to the' case of a class of the population entitled to every considera tion. -He was free to admit that the question would have been much bettez in the hands of the Government than in those of a private individual. The more so that most if not all of the members of the Government had on a former occa sion assented to a measure of Parliamentary reform. But session after session was allowed to pass without any sign the reintroduction of that measure. He would endeavour to show the necessity and object of the present motion. He would ask the house to take the matter into consideration, and by means of a select committee to consider and report on the most practicable means of lessening the inequalities of the representative system, and to extend to unenfranchised classes that fair share of political power to which they were entitled. The question was %ore one of degree than of prin ciple. It was not one which could be defezred. The legis lation of that house was rapidly approaching a dead lock and becoming impracticable. They must either progress like science, art, manufactures, and everything else in the coun try, or retrograde. There were large masses of the popula tion as well entitled and as well qualified to exercise the franchise as those who enjoyed it. Out of a population of 28,090,000 of people, of whom 5,500,000 were adult males, and upwards of 4,000,000 inhabited houses, there were only 1,000,000 electors. Of those , large numbers were pre vented by bribery and intimidation from exercising their right of voting in accordance with their honest con viction. He was not desirous of • yielding the ques tion by the meas ure o f re f orm which ho proposed, but of obtaining an instalment of that which he deemed right. He believed a deep-seated conviction existed that the restric tive franchise and unequal distribution of members and the existence of numerous nominee boroughs, and the want of protection to the voters, had been the source of many social and political evils. No one could deny that the aristocratic element existed not only in the Cabinet but in that house to a large extent ; 12 out of 15 members of the Cabinet were either peers in their own rights or the connexions of peers; I not less than-236 members of that house were either the sous or nominees or connexions of peers. There were 77 boroughs returning 124 members to Parliament, having an aggregate population less than that of one single borough. It had been stated, and never contradicted, that one-half of the members of that house wore returned by 180,000 electors, repre senting 7,000,0001. of property; whilst the other half were returned by eight hundred thousand electors, represent ing 7 7,000,0001. of property. The English counties, with 10,000,000 of population, returned 144 representatives, while the boroughs with 8,000,000, exclusive of the large towns, re turned 323 representatives. But carry the question still fur ther, and compare the counties with each other. They would then find one county, with 2,000,000 of population, assessed at 8 ,000,000 e., returning 14 representatives ; while another and contiguous county, with 163,000 population, assessed at 700,000/., returned 11 members. There was another griev ance; that of 29 large towns and districts, with populations varying from 20,000 to 60,000 each, were totally unrepre sented. Out of 28,000,000 , of inhabitants, we had only 1,000,000 of electors. The hon. gentleman then quoted from the writings of Locke and Sir Wm. Jones, and from the speeches of Burke and Fox in support of the principle of household suffrage, and he sketched the measures which from time to time had been submitted to Parliament since the time of the Reform Bill. The most important ono was that in troduced by the noble lord the member for London, and the people of this country were heeply indebted to the noble lord for the consistent course he had always taken upon this sub ject. The franchise, however, which the noble lord had intro duced into his measure was much too limited. Any qualifica tion based upon assessment must be unsatisfactory. In Lei cester, which he represented, there were 14,000 houses, and at present there were 2,500 house voters, Under the bill of the noble lord 61. householders 'would have been admitted to the franchise, which would have added 610 house voters to the list, but as there were 1,500 freemen, and as the bill of the noble lord a b o li s h ed freemen , the constituency by th a t bill would hav e b een reduced by9oo. H e appealed to the justice, honesty, and good sense of the house to support him in the proposal which he made. If the house would appoint a committee it would bo looked upon as a great boon by'the public, and would be received with great satisfaction. Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion. His hon. friend deserved the thanks of the country for the persevering efforts he had made in this cause, Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND, as one of the o ld es t mem b ers Of that notioe, " ma , WviuS wny ne should oppose• the- motion. He believed that the motion, instead of promoting the great question of reform and the extension of the suffrage, would retard it. He had always been a reformer, and in favour of the extension of the franchise, but he could not support the motion, as it was not sufficiently specific. It referred to no definite object. Committees of this sort wore petitions for brains by those who moved for such committees. This was to bo a commit tee de omnibus rebus; but had nothing specific in its object. He had no fear for a large extension of the suffrage, for he believed that the people of this country were better educated and more enlightened than any other people in the world, and therefore they might be safely entrusted with a largo conces sion of freedom Mr. STAFFORD thought the motion ridiculous. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought the motion would rather im pede than assist the cause of reform, Mr. WARREN considered the motion was nothing more than a proposal for handing over the British constitution to the consideration of a select committee. Mr. W. J. FOX supported the motion. made to the pro posal of his hon. f r i en d . It wa s ofte n o bj ec t e d L ord PALMER TON sa i d that one objection often made to those wh o proposed a committee, certainly could not be Peaal to those who proposed th e appointment of a committee, and when they got it, that they were unable to bring to the com mittee any concurrence of opinion or sympathy on the sub ject; but if he (Lord Palmerston) were to judge from the success of his honourable friend, in bringing the house to an almost unanimous opinion on the motion ho had made —(laughter)—such an objection could not be brought against min. Ho had succeeded on that occasion in ranging in unanimity of opinion those who were most eager for a general and comprehensive reform—those who were com monly called bit-by -bit reformers from their desire of proceed ing step by step— an d those most opposed to reform in the abstract. He sLbmitted to his friend that lie should be con teol, with that-achievement, and not endeavour to produce a similar concurrent opinion itt the members of the commit tee to be appointed. Ile (Lord Palmerston) was content to rest on arguments that might b e urged and would be found to be unanswerable against the mot i on of his hon. friend, viz., that it seems a subject of its range, and involving to too much i m p or t ance, t oo w id e i n o many be thrown loose on the chance decision of a committee. He was one of those who wished to see the question embodied in and material interests to some definite proposal, and brought before Parliament, for the result of which s al, and the nation should be re s ponsible, ,rather than see it di sposed of in the manner pro posed, Without entering into his p ar ti cular ob j ect i ons to t h e motion, that ofd ealing with questions of this kind on abstract propos itions, and without inquiring whether his hon. friend's princi ples of the British constitution, and whether or not they sat there as he appeared to think , as delegates of a particular proposil mi g ht or might n o t b e founded on the right district, than as representatives of the United Kingdom. (Cheers,)Afte: NOll2O further reftarka the noble 19rcl HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YEsTERDA.Y.) The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following private bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed :—Aldershot Railway ; Black water Bridge and Road ; Bridgwater Markets, and Fairs ; British and Irish Grand Junction Railway ; Char ing-cro,,s Bridge ; Dartmouth and Torbay Railway ; East Kent Railway (Strood to Saint Mary's Cray, &c.) ; Great Northern and Wo , tern of Ireland Railway ; Ips wich Water ; Islington Parish ; Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway ; North Eastern Railway (Lan chester Valley Branch) ; Otley and Skipton Road ; Cathatn Lands, &o. ; Stamford and Essendine Railway ; and Thames and Medway Conservancy. FREESTUN presented a petition from the importers of tea at Weymouth and Melcombe Regis against any alteration in the present duty on tea, but praying that, should it take place, it may be axed at la. 41. per lb. for the next three years. CONSTITUTION HILL. Mr. MACARTNEY asked the Chief Commissioner of Works whether there would be any objection to re build the wad lately pulled down in Grosvenor -place, so as to correspond with the portion standing next Consti tution-hill, and place a railing thereon up to the door way into the park ? Sir B. HALL said that he proposed to rebuild the. wall in the sauce style and manner as it was before. The only objection he had heard to it was that of a gentle. man who lived opposite, and wished to have it rebuilt as suggested in the question. He (Sir B. Han) had no ob jection to it if the gentleman would pay 3001., the dif ference in the cost of construction. LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that on that day fortnight he should call the attention of the house to the cause of grievance contained in the petitions presented to that house of the Land Transport Corps, and that it be referred to a Select CJnitnittee. VOTE BY BALLOT. Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that, shortly after Easter, be should call the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to the necessity of protecting electors at the poll. LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. Sir T. FERGUSSON gave notice that he should, at an early day, call the attention of the house to the condition of the officers of the Land Transport Corps. NDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2 eluded by suggesting to his hon. friend that it would be better to withdraw the motion. After some observations from Mr. L. KING Admiral BERKEI/E7, and Mr. W ARNER, , Sir J. WALMSLEY replied, in the course of which he re. plied to the objections that had been urged against his reso lution, and said that he would divide the house if he walked alone into the lobby. (Cheers ) The house then divided, when the numbers were— For the motion Against it Majority against the motion CARLISLE CANONRIES. On the motion of Mr. FRGUSSON, leave was given to in• troduce a bill to appropriate the income of the first vacant canonry of the Cathedral of Carlisle to the augmentation of certain ecclesiastical incumbencies within the said city. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Mr. BENTINCK obtained a select committee to inquire into the causes of accidents on railways, and int) the possi bility of removing any such causes by further legislation. CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS (IRELAND). Mr. DEASY called the attention of the house to the pre sent mode of conducting the examinations of candidates into the civil service, and moved, " That a humble address be presented to her Majesty, that she will be graciously plea3ed to give directions to have such examinations conducted as in England, by examiners whose character, acquirements, and experience in examinations render them peculiarly fitted for the duty." Mr. NAPIER seconded the motion. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that there was really no difference between the mode of examination adopted in Dublin and in the towns of England and Scot land. It was most important that there should be uniformity in all the examinations, and that uniformity was fully obtained by the existing means. There had been 237 persons who had passed examinations in Dublin for those departments which had central offices in London, while there had been but 47 candidates for civil service in departments exclusively con nected with Ireland Theis, was thus, it will be seen, a great necessity for uniformity in the standard of all the examina tions. The Government could not, therefore, consent to the motion of the hon, and learned member, but he was perfectly willing, on the part of the Government, to promise that if it should be found assistance was really required by Dr. Bell in the discharge of his duties, the subject of granting such ad ditional assistance should receive careful consideration at the hands of the Government. Fully concurring in the spirit of the resolution of the hon. member, he trusted that he would not press his motion, After a few words from Mr. HAMILTON, the house di vided, when the numbers were— For the motion 35 Against it Majority against the motion THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION. Mr. NAPIER then proceeded to call the attention of the house to the communications with her Majesty's Government respecting the Franklin expedition, and the urge n t na t ure o f the claim for a f ur th er and complete search. The question was one which deeply affected the interests of humanity and of science, and involved the honour of Parliament and of the British Government. The hon. and learned member called attention to a memorial signed by forty eminent and listin guithed persons, and presented to ,the Government in th e l as t session, urgin g upon them the necessity of a further search. Baron Humboldt had recently added the weight of his autho rity to the opinions expressed in that memorial. Ho could not conceive how a Government which had already made such noble sacrifices to search for the gallant men who form ed the expedition could now decline to take further steps, since the interesting discoveries by Dr. Rae of some of the relics and memorials of Captain Franklin's brave crew. He would not insult the Government by supposing that any con siderations of expense would weigh for a moment with them if they conceived it to be their duty to make any further search for the long lost Captain Franklin. If the Government did not themselves fit out an expedition, Lady Franklin, with the nobl e courage o f a woman, had an ' nounced her intention of herself fitting out an expedition from her ownprivate resources. What a stain wouli it be for the Government if such an occurrence were to take place, and that the noble exertions of a lady should succeed in accom plishing that which the Government had declined to do on the petty ground of expense. It would certainly be deroga tory to the high character of the Government if it were left to the private resources of a lady and the energies of an Ameri can officer, to set at rest the question of the position of the brave men who composed the Arctic expedition under Cap tain Franklin. (Hear.) He hoped the Government would not persevere in their refusal to send a final expedition. The hon. gentleman concluded by moving for a copy of the corres pondence which had taken piece since last session on the sub jectvwiaeAswdasmnoyifrhahloispWhe oA.onfL. raCaOnisdrinTlgeactvhonneedlvdefrilinewontdhlegahisvhehnehndi,isdosnveuoptrpt of th e F ranklin expedition. o ht h r i ke f t at o the t e the there Sir John Fra n kli n and his companions. Let them send no fresh martyrs on a fruitless and unprofitable search. (Hear, hear.) Let them not bring on themselves the remonstrances of the wives and children of the br.,ve men whose lives would have to be risked in a fresh expedition, or renew to them selves the painful spectacle of British seamen perishing of cold and hunger in those desolate regions where two many valuable lives had been already sacrificed. (Hear, hear.) Sir C. WOOD was glad to have been preceded by the gallant officer who had just spoken, because he heartily concurred in all that had fallen from him, and because he was gratified to have a confirmation of the opinion he wan about to submit— that they ought not to expose to any fresh risks valuable lives in an expedition they felt to be hopeless. The Govern. ment would not have been insensible to the appeals which had been made both by Lady Franklin and by scientific bodies for a renewed search if they had entertained the slightest hope of saving lives; so long as that hope remained no risk, no ex pense would have deterred the Government from sending out expeditions. He was happy at the same time to bear testimony to the gallant and generous spirit which had animated their transatlantic brethren in sending out expeditions for the same purpose. Let the house consider what had already been done. Since Sir John Franklin bad sailed—twelve years ago—six expeditioni had been sent out. Though he was sure no one had grudged the money while a hope of saving life remained, he thought it right that the house should know that by the country alone, independently of private individuals, not less than 610,000/. had been spent in the expeditions sent out. It was not the subject of expense which deterred the Government from sending out a fresh expedition. They believed that there was no hope of finding any survivorof that ill-fated expedition, and that, therefore, they were not justified in exposing to such risk as was inseparable from such undertakings, fresh officers and men, although he had not the slightest doubt that they could obtain more officers and men than would for nish twenty expeditions. He believed that the party of 30 or 40 white men who were seen in 1850 by the Esquimaux near the Great Fish River. and who had obviously perished during that year, were the last survivors of Sir J. Franklin's party. He believed he could say that not a single Arctic officer with whom he had conversed on the subject bad ever ventured to state that it was his belief that any survivors could be found. It had been stated that a future expedition would run less risk than previous ones, because the whole coast had been mapped and charted ; ; but what the hon. and learned gentleman called a limited area of 5 degs. of latitude and 4 degs, of longitude was precisely that part of the coast which was neither mapped nor charted. It was assumed by <those who were anxious for a further search that within that area the ships had been abandoned, and that therefore an expedition would succeed in obtaining the records of the voyage. Now, if the vessels had perished, as was not improbable, it was very likely that the whole crews had perished with them ! and if they had been abandoned, it was not very likely the party abandoning the ships would not have brought away with them what, after the neces. saries of life, were the most valuable things on board —the journals, logs, and records of the voyage. He did not think, therefore, that there was any chance of the objects of the scientific advocates of the expedition being found on board the ships. If,' on the other hand, those articles were taken away by the crew in abandoning the ships, he thought it was equally obvious that the last of the survivors would perish with the bags and journals about them ; and where, within an area of 1,200 miles, were they to search for some thing which would not be worth the trouble and danger of the search. Ho thought the probability of discovering any thing, but such relics as pieces of wood or boats' oars, of which abundance had been already found in various quarters surrounding the unknown district, very remote indeed. The chances were that the ships, if abandoned, had been visited and rifled by the Esquimaux. He did not think, therefore, that they should be justified in exposing the lives of 150 men in discovering all that there remained any probability of dis covering.' There was yet a much stronger reason for his de clining to accept the responsibility of a fresh expedition. Five vessels bad been already abandoned -in the different ex peditions, the crews of which had been rescued by other ves sels, The probability, therefore, was that if any more ships were sent they would become fixed in the ice, and then fresh expeditions would have to be organised to rescue their crews. He had never felt that the risk of life whi c h A rt i e voyages involved was justified by ;the scientific results which were attainable by such expeditions. He had regretted at the time that Sir John . Franklin's e x p e di t i on had been sent out, and lie still entertained the same opinion, tu b r y e de- the liberation he could not reconcil e hi mse lf t o t h e responsibility He regretted that the expectation s o f so many people who were interebusttehde in couldth questione only s a should i n t e hat af disappointed tevma of a further search. (Hear, h ear. ) After a short discussion th e mo ti on was withdrawn. SAVINGS BANKS. avowal; The house having gone into committee, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to move for leave to briny in a bill to amen d th e l aws relating to savings hanire and f e n rmntrirla fnr nafablishmetut of fttvinixa hairs with the security of the Government. He did not think it was necessary to trouble the house with any lengthened state ment at that stage of the mea sure. I t was well known to all that the law reating to savings banks was at present most inconvenient and most unsatisfactory to the public. The management was vested in trustees, who appointed a ma nager or other officer to conduct the business. The trustees were not responsible under the law and the whol e security the public had was th e b on d given by the manager or officer to the trustees. These were altogether insufficient. He might give an instance in tho case of the Bromley Savings Bank, ' whore the actuary, or officer, was deficient to the amount of 1,0001., and yet it was found that he had only bden asked for a bond of 501. The trustees were not. responsible, and the Government were not responible under the present law, By the b ill he proposed, without interfering with the management of these banks, except for the purposes of in spection, to give the depositors Government security for the whole of their deposits, in all cases where the savings banks complied with certain specific conditions. Of course one great object of these conditions was to secure the Govern ment against loss; another was to give the depositors secu rity for their deposits. It was the duty of the house, as the guardian of the public purse, to see that the Government did not contract any responsibility in the case of these savings banks, without at the same time obtaining a proper control over the funds and the management. On the other hand, the provisions of the bill did not impose any conditions which would tend to unduly fetter the management of these institu tions, or deprive thorn of theirlocal and voluntary character, under local management. With th es e f ew remarks he begged leave to introduce the bill. Mr. GROGAN expressed his satisfaction at findingthe right hon, gentleman bad taken up this question, on which deep interest was felt in Ireland on account of the failures which had occurred in Dublin and elsewhere, After a short conversation, the resolution was agreed to, and the house resumed. Tho Carlisle Cauonries and the Scotch •Commissioners of Supply Bills were brought up and read a first time. The house adjourned at half-past ten o'clock. 90 -117 THE DAYS OF M LIFE. —An Autobiography: Dy the author of " Margaret Nlaitland," Ste. 3 vols.—The gifted authoress of "The Days of My Life" exhibits in a marked manner the first requisites of an eminent novelist—a fertile invention, picturesque power, poetic feeling, and considerable constructive skill. We are struck, too, with her breadth of manner. The concep tion of the story is both large and simple, and it has the merit of perfect originality. The story is most elo:- queutly written, and is extremely attractive and cheer ful. It gbws with the genius of romance—the romance of social circumstances and affection. We cordially congratulate the gifted authoress on the success she has achieved,—N .Prat, 5, 1857. From the London Gazette of Last Night ST. JAMES'S PALACE, FEB. 22. The Queen Las been pleased to appoint Richard, Lord Cremorne, to be ono or the Lords in Waiting in Ordinary to her Majesty, in the room of Charles Somers, Earl Somers, resigned. FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 20. The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoin Charles Alison, Esq., now Oriental Secretary, to be Secre tary to her Majesty's Embassy at Constantinople. FOREIGN-OFFICE FEB. 21. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Francis Stacker Dutton, as Consul for South Australia, to reside at Adelaide, for his Majesty the King of the Netherlands. The Queen has also bee❑ pleased to approve of Mr. William Deane Seymour, as Consul at Queenstown for his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Oldenburg. DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 23. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Charles John Bayley, Esq., to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief iu and over the Bahama Islands. Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint Humpbry Sandwith Esq., C. 8., to be Colonial Secretary for the Island of Mauritius. CRO WN-OFFICE, FEB. 23. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. County of Kent—Western Division—Charles Wykeham Martin, Esq., in the room of Sir Edmund Filmer, Bart., deceased. WHITEHALL, FEB. 10. The Lord Chancellor has appointed David Black, of Brighton, in the county of Sussex, Gentleman, to be a Commissioner to administer oaths in the High Court of Chancery in England. WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, FEB. 24. Royal Regiment of Horse Guards.—Francis George Augustus Fuller, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Bulkeley, promoted. 11th Light Dragoons.—Lieutenant Arthur Lyttleton Annesley to be Captain, by purchase, vice Dallas Yorke, who retires ; Cornet William Cuninghame to be Lieuten ant, by purchase, vice Annesley; William Edward Shaw, Gent., to be Cornet, without purchase, vice Dimsdale, deceased. 16th Light Dragoons—W. R. Corballis, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Duffield, appointed to the sth Dragoon Guards. MILITARY TRAIN. To be Captains—Capt. T. Rowland, from half-pay Ist Foot ; Capt. H. Hope A'Court Ingletield, from half-pay 14th Foot ; Lieut. T. Penton, from 12th Light Dragoons. To be Ensign—Cornet N. Burslem, from the • Land Transport Corps. ,Royal Artillery—Staff-Surgeon of the 2d Class Matthew Combe, M.D., to be Surgeon. lst Foot—Lieutenant Charles J. Tuffnell Oakes to be Captain, by purchase, vice Kirk, who retires ; Captain Thomas John Gregory, from half-pay Ist F oo t, t o b e Cap tain, vice Oakes paced upon half-p a y. 14th Foot—Edward John Briscoe, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Beamish, pr omo t e d ; Li eu t enan t G eorge Bridges has been permitted to retire from the service by the sale of his commission ; Ensign Iver M`lver to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Mathews, promoted. 18th Foot—Ensign Chas. Norris Fry to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Shaw, whose promotion on the 9th Jan. has been cancelled. 21st Foot—Lieut. Wm. Cairnes to be Instructor of Mus ketry; Chas. Robin Hammond, Gent., to be Ensign with out purchase, vice Cook, promoted. For John Urquhart, Esq., late Paymaster British Swiss Legion, to be Paymaster, vice Hawker, appointed to a De pot Battalion, which..appeared in the Gazette of the 30th ult., read Capt. John Urquhart, late Staff Paymaster British Swiss Le g i on , t o be Payinfi.ster, &c. 24th Foot—John Moore Gurnell Tongue, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Birch, promoted. 30th Foot—Lieut. Henry L'Estrange Herring to be Ad jutant, vice G. H. Sanders, who resigns the Adjutancy only. 43d Foot—Lieutenant Robert Coke Glover to be Captain, without purchase, vice Bruere, deceased; Ensign Thomas Elmes to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Glover ; Ensign John Evelyn Kingston Morley, from the rifle Bri• Bade, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Eltnes, pro moted. 46th Foot—Captain Richard Lluellyn, from half-pay, 46th Foot, to be Captain, vice Womwbell, whose Brevet Rank has been converted into Substantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant, Oct. 6, 1854. 54th Foot--Dudley B. Coppinger, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice F. A. Campbell, appointed to 60th Foot. 56th Foot—Julius Lovell, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice H. H. Taylor, promoted. 60th Foot—Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class George Waterloo Pennington Sparrow, from half-pay, to be Sur geon, vice Eaton, placed upon half-pay. 66th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Thomas Hughes to be Instructor of Musketry. 67th Foot—Serjeant-Major John Stanifortb, to be Quartermaster, vice Crispin, who retires upon half-pay. 731 Foot—Serjeant-Major Jonathan Godly Scott to be Quartermaster, vice Carson, who retires upon half-pay. 79th Foot—William Henry M`Causland, Gent., to he Ensign, by purchase, vice Adcock, promoted. 90th Foot--Lieutenant Leonard H. Lloyd Irby to be Captain, by purchase, vice Close, who retires ; Ensign George Edward Perryn to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Irby; John Williamson, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Perryn. Ist West India Regiment—Ensign William Alexander Dobie, from the 79th Foot, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Coote, promoted. 2d West India Regiment—Charles Edward Russell, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice D'Arcy, de ceased. Cape Mounted Rifles—WalterJ. Wyatt, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Rorke, promoted. STAFF — Veterinary -Surgeon George Western has been permitted to resign his commission. PROVISIONAL BATTALION (Chatham). —To be Majors.— Major A. Wombwell, from half-pay Unattached ; Major H. D. Ellis, from half-pay Unattached. UNATTACHED. Captain and Brevet - Lieutenant-Colonel W. Sankey 47th Foot, to have the Substantive Rank of Major, under the Royal Warrant of Oct. 6, 1854. Brevet-Major A. Wombwell, 46th Foot, to have his Brevet Rank converted into Substantive Rank, undertho Royal Warrant of Oct. 6, 1654. HOSPITAL STAFF. Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class Patrick Joseph Clarke, from half-pay, to be Staff Surgeon of the Second Class; Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class William Thomas Black, from half-pay, to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, vice Reynolds, appointed to the Military Train. To be Assistant - Surgeons—Assistant-Surgeon John Wood, from the Military Train; Assistant-Surgeon Wil liam Henry Muschamp, from the Military Train ; Assis tant-Surgeon Samuel Pratt Woodfull, from the Military Train. BREVET Brevet-Colonel Godfrey Charles . Mundy, upon half-pay Unattached, to h ave th e l ocal rank of Major-General while in the command of the troops in the Island of Jersey. The undermentioned Quartermasters, retired on half pay, to have the honorary rank of. Captain, under the Royal Warrant, 17th Dec. 1855: Quartermaster George Crispin, half-pay, 67th Foot. Quartermaster John Carson, half-yay 73d Fooit. ADMIRALTY, FEB 20. Corps of Royal Marines.—The following promotions have taken place, under her Majesty's Order in Council of the 13th September, 1854, in cons equence o f t h e death of Lieut.-General Sir John Owen, K.C.8., on the Fixed Establishment of General Officers of the Royal Marines, viz. ; —Major-General S. B. Ellis, C. 8., to be Lieutenant. General ; Colonel-0, nemandant F. Graham, C. 8., to be Major-General, vice Ellis, promoted. BREVET. In consequence of the promotion of Major-General Graham, the undermentioned officers, on the retired full pay list of the Royal Marines, to be Major-Generals, Major- Geeeral Graham ha v i ng stood below the m on the effective establishment of the corps when they retired ; viz. :—Bre vet-Colonel James Clark, and Brevet-Colonel John Tothill. ADMIRALTY, FEB. 20. Corps of Royal Marines.—Colonel Second Commandant Thomas Hurdle, C. 8., to be Colonel-Commandant, vice Graham, promoted ; Lieutenant -Colonel Alexander Ander son to be Colonel Sezorid Commandant, vice Hurdle, pro meted ; Brevet - Lieutenant-Colonel George Colt Langley, Assistant Adjutant-General of the Corps, to be Lieutenant- Colonel, under the provisions of Her Majesty's Order in Council, 13th September, 1854; Captain George Walkup Congdon to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Anderson, pro moted. COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORDS-LIEIYTENNT. County of Surrey—John Labouchere, Esq., to be De puty Lieutenant. Castlemartin Yeomanry Cavalry—Decinsus Williams Byers, Esq., to b 3 Lieutenant, vice F. L. S. M. Baron de Rutzen Frentz, promoted. King's Own Light Infantry Regiment of Militia—Capt. Frederick John Parry to be Major, vice Walker, resigned. Warwickshire Militia-Ist Regiment—Harry Hazlett Rams tale, Esq., to be Ensign, vice Ensign Charles John Sale, resigned. 2d Regiment—Ensign Stephen Troughear Cragg to be Lieutenant, vice 0. W. Plevins resigned. Beauclerk, late Captain in the lst Royals, to be Major, vice Browne, resigned. Worcestershire Regiment of Militia—Charles Edward Hopton, Esq., late Captain in the 23d Fusiliers, to be Captain ' vice Winnington. • Royal Aberdeenshire Regiment of Militia—George 120 • risen, Esq., M.D., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Balfour, deceased. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED. Robert Ashworth, cotton-spinner, Newchureh, Bonen dale, Lancashire. BANKRUPTS. Edwin Shepherd and Walter Shepherd, lozenge mann facturers, 12, Crane court, Fleet•street, City, to surrender, March 6, at half-past twelve, and April 9, at one, at the 'Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman street-buildings; Chidley, Basinghall-street. James Griffiths, builder, Bristol, March 9 and April 7, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acranian, official assignee, Bristol, Prideaux, Bristol. Thomas King, licensed victualler, Spalding, March' 10 and 31, at half-past ten, at the Shire-hall, Nottingham. Harris, official assignee, Nottingham ; Brown, Lincoln. Robert Graves, corn merchant, Gravesend, March 6, at eleven, and April 17, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Canuan, official assignee Aldermanbury ; Crafter, Blackfriar's-road. William Smith, licensed victualler, Mansfield, Notting hamshire, March 10 and 31, at half-past ten, at the Shire hall, Nottingham. Harris, official assignee, Nottingham ; Bewley and Ashwell, Nottingham. Joshua Downing Stanbury, draper, Richmond, March 6, at half-past one, and April 3, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall street ; Mason and Sturt, Gresham-street. Sleater Geoghegan, stationer, Palsgrave-place , Strand, March 13, at t we l ve, an d A pr il 20, at eleven, at Courto of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assigness, Guildhall chambers ; Paisley, Chea; Robert Spendlovo, horse and cattlo dealer, Sheffield, March 7, and April 4, at ten, at the Council-hall, Sheffield. Brewin, official assignee, Sheffield ; Marsh, Rotherham. Frederick F. Shaw, ironmonger, Blackfriars-road, March 13, at eleven, and April 20, at one, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Nicholson, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Linklater and Hackwood, Sise-lano, London; Hodgso n and Allen, Birmingham. Thomas Whit°, jun., ship-builder and engineer, Ports! mouth, March 11, at two, and April 7, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Law rence, Plows and Boyer, Old Jewry Chambers. Samuel Smith, iron merchant, Derby, March 10 and 31, at half-past ten, at the Shire-hall, Nottingham. Harris, official assigueo, Nottingham ;J. a nd J. Simp son , D erby Wadsworthprriok Morse , Mice cud p and 9r Wad r s i worth,N o ot i t c z e ngh. ecie , Duzzatior. THE INCOME TAX; Mr. HEADLA.M gave notice that he should on an early day propose a resolUtion that the income tax should not be continued for more than another year, mid that it should be let% to Parliament to consider whe ther it should be continued after that time. lie should move a eitnilar motion in ways and means. THE TEA DUTIES. Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice that in committee of ways and means he should move in the place of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal, that the tea duties should be fixed at ls. 4J. in the pound for the next hree years, and that then it be reduced to ls. in the )(mud. (Elear, hear.) Cilia' CONSTABLES. In reply ti a question from Mr. PALK, Sir G. GREY said that a magistrate coal .1 hold the office of chief constable in his own county. CIVIN. Mr. DEASY av L ked the SERVICE—I President DlA of the Board of Control whether aoy reduction had taken place or was rontomplAtod in the number of appointments in the Civil Service in India open to public competition ? Mr. V. SMITH said that no reduction could take place in the number of the appointments referred to, nor was it contemplated. Tile number of officers was fixed act of Parliament, and they could only be filled up from deaths or removals. TIIE LAWS RELATING TO MASTER AND SERVANT. - Mr. PELLATT wished to a,k tho Attorney-General whether it was t.ho ktention of her Majesty's Govern nieht to bring in a bill to consolidate the Statut,i Laws relating to roasters and servants, and to toasters and ‘vorkinell ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the acts re lating to masters and workmen had been Consolidated by the Statute Law Commission, and the bill wai now under revision of that body. It would shortly be brought in and laid on the table of the house, and he was not aware that it was the intention of her Majesty's G:)vernment to i,)treduce any other measure. Mr. J. G. PIIILLIMORE asked the Attorney-Geue ral whether her Majesty's Ministers wouli object to institute an inquiry (by a committee of this house or otherwise) into the means by which the distinction be- , tween suits at law and in equity, which had been removed court, Mincing-lane, City, March 7, and Apr 7, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Valiance and Hibbert, Tokenbouse-yard, ci.ty. William Sadgrove, jun. and Richard Rugg, cabinet makers, Eldon-street, Finsbury, Middlesex, March 10, at half-past two, and April 7, at two, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Lee, official assignee, Alderrnanbury; Spyer, Broad -street-buildings. Francis Bee, table knife manufacturer, Sheffield, Marc h 7, and April 4, at ten, at the Council-hall, Sheffield. Brewin, official assignee, Sheffield; Ryalls, Sheffield. James Armstrong, linen d ra p er , Berwick-upon-Tweed, March 10, at twelve, and April 21, at eleven, at the Not' castle-upoti-Tyne District Court. Baker, official assignee, Newcastle-upon-Ty ne ; Moore, Carlisle; Hoyle, N e castle-upon-Tyne, Lorens Theodor Wang, timber merchant, Durban , March 6, at twelve, and April 8, at half-past twelve, at the Newcastle-upon-ryno District Court. Baker effici a assignee, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Young, Harrison, A", Young, Sunderland. THE LATE COLLIERY EXPLO,SIO.N . ISEAR BAhNSLEY. TUESDAY AFTERNOON.—It was reported on Sato" day evening that it had been decided not to fill the min° with incombustible gas on Goldsworthy's plan, but in; stead to allow the water to accumulate in the pit, and to throw in steam by moans of a steam j e t con nected with the boilers by which the colliery was worked, This arrangement has been carried out, and there will conse'- quently by this time be a large accumulation of wat er ie the pit, from which while the pit was at work from l 200 to 300 galions per minute was pumped. It is pro cipally upon the prevention of ventilation by keeping the' shafts closed and the accurnm'ation of water that the hopes are rested of the speedy extinction of the fire' It is not considered that the introduction of steatn will have any considerable effect. The gentleme n lett upon the spot, to whom th e mana gemen t : of the pit has been intrusted, have v e ry ca re fully carried out the decisions of the commit; tee who met on Saturday evening, and have b!' - ' the sa Ilaction of finding that the temperature within the pit has gradually diminished. When the therm , ' meter was first suspended 20 yards down the pit, on the afternoon of Friday, the temperature was 105 deg. Oa Saturday afternoon it had descended to 85 deg., all when the last experiment was tri e d thi s morn i ng it in!" got to 75l deg., being 10 deg. lower. The gentlemen managing c,n the spot are in constant communicatio n by telegeaph with Mr. Wood, the colliery viewer Iron the north, and the other gentlemen who have been COw stilted on the subject. Steam is introduced into the pit by a pipe 1i inch in diameter, and the mouth of the ventlating shaft bas been entirely closed as wel l as those of the downcast shaft. Mr. Nicholas Wood, an eminent mining engineer, Mr. G. Elliott, .Mr.Wondhouse of Derby (also eminent mining engineers), meet the local committee at 2 o'clock to-morrow (Wednesday) to consider what further steps may be necessary. It is admitted that great care will be requisite on the opening of the pit, as in case it is opened too soon the fire may again blase out and another terrific explosion result. It is, how' ever, ,thought not improbable that the fire may be g ° thoroughly extinguished as to permit of the pit being re' opened towards the close of the present, week. There is , however, no probability that any of the bodies in the pit will be recovered, at all events before next week,. as 11 considerable time will be required to pump the large quantity of water which will have accumulated in ti° pit, and a considerable further time to renew the T entfir tion. During the last few days the proprietors of the 001•' fiery have had the most diligent inquiries made with A view to ascertain the exact number of persons still is the pit, and of course dead, and the number turns out to be no less than 182. It is thought probable that sale few more names may still be ascertained, but there it'll° doubt that 182 is within a very few indeed of the real number, if, indeed, it is not the exact number. Country Markets. LEEDS, FEB. 24. COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—YESTERDAY. tm5terdam............ 11 t 6 Gibraltar Ditto, three months .. 11 18% Leghorn 29 45 , Rotterdam ............ 11 18% Genoa ••••••••••• 25 75 Antwerp • • .... •• •• •• •• 25 47% Milan •••••••••••••••• Brussels .... • • ........ 25 47% Venice.... Elamburgh ............ 13 8 Naples •• 43g &Rona •• •• •• • •• •• •• IPalermo .••• ...... •• •• .129 3 / 4 Paris... •• 25 27% Messina ... 130 Ditto, three months .. 25 67% Lisbon ...... Marseilles 25 67% Oporto 52 Bourdeaux 1 • Rio Janeiro Frankfort-on-Maine te .... 11.9 ii Gerlfn •• .• •••••• •• •• •• Vienna........., •• .... 10 30 trieste•••••••••••• ................ t 0 32 k'etersburg ............ 37% Ifadrid ......•••., 49% Cadiz 49% Barcelona .• •••• •••• ' Buenos Ayre5.......... New York,6o days' sight -- Philadelphia .... ...... , PRICES OF 'opti•n, Pas os. Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 9 Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0 Mexican Dollars .... 0 0 0 ' New Dollars ...... 0 0 0 Silver in bars ...... 0 0 0 COURT or COMMON COUNClL.—Yesterday a special court, which had only been summoned at a few hottie notice, was held. The doors of the court were closed to strangers whilst the subject of the River Thames and Medway Conservancy Bils, now before Parliament, wag dismissed. [Anvsarrssiaxxr.}—The greatest happiness of a journalist is to introduce to his readers some new discovery calculated to benefit that vast portion of our fellow-creatures which has the strongest claims upon our 'sympathies. - It is with • this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the following extracts from Du Barry's interesting Report of Cures without medicine of Indigestion (Dyspepsia), Flatnleney; Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver complaint s , C o n"' Asthma, Consumpti on, and Debility, by Du Barry's •Reva . lenta Arabica Food. Cure No. 1 80.—Twenty-five years' ner vousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cu re d by Du Barry's food in a very short time.—W. R. Reeves, 181, Fleet-street, London. Cure No. 1,784.—N0t expected to live six days longer, I was cured by Du Barry's admirable Health-restoring Arabica Food.—Magdalena Purvis, Moffat, Scotland. Cure • No. s,4ol.—Sixty years' partial paralysis, affecting one-half of my frame, and which had resisted all other remedies, has yielded to Du Barry's H ea lth- res t or i ng F ood, and I now con sider myself a stranger to all complaints excepting a hearty old age.—Wm. Hunt, barrister-at-law, King's College, Cambridge. Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of Chemistry Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey ; Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer; Dr. Ingra m Lord Stuart de' Decies; the Dowager Countess of Castle. atuart; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed. For further particulars respect ing this invaluable food our readers are referred toDu Barry's advertisement in another part of this paper. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 23d inst., at 41, Torringten.square, the wife o Robert Cunliffe, Esq. On the 22d inst., the wife of the Rev. B a d en P owell. OF A DAUGHTER. ' On the 23d inst., at Severudroog Villa, Shooter's-hill 4 the wife of Thomas Martin, Esq., of G racochnrch-street, solicitor. Ou the 24th inst., at Fort-street, Spital-square, Mrs. John Martin. MARRIED. On the 23d inst., at Leamington, Lieutenant-Colonel . L Ireland Blackburn; to Emma, widow of the late Viscount • Herefor 1. On the 24th inst., at St. George's,tHanover-square, Tuff nen Samuel Barrett, Esq., of Court Lodge, Shorne, to Louisa, daughter of Fr e d. C owper, Esq., of Harley-street, Curendish• square, and Carleton-hall, Cumberland. - , On the 24th i nst. DIED. at 3, Garford-street, P op l ar, Wil l i am M itcheson, Esq., , shipowner, aged 74. On the 18th inst., the Countess of Huntingdon, aged 40. On the 20th inst., at Boulogne-sur-Mier, Capt. John Rose, R.N., aged 87. On the 21th inst., at Sutton-place, Hackney, Mr. Jas. IL Levin, aged 77. On the 24th inst., at 19, Michael's-place, Brozpton, Mr. William Moore. On the 220 inst., Mr. James Watkins, for 53 years con. netted with Gun and Shot-wharf, Southwark. Ou the 220 inst., James Swain, Alp or t , E sq., o f 8 , A s t ey ' S row, Lo wer Islington, aged 78. -- - LONDON: hinted and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 111, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Atiddlem, Wednesday,, 'ebruary 25,1857, LIVERPOOL— FEB. 24. At to-day's market there was a good attendance of to dealers and millers froni distant parts of the' country, Wbesi met a moderate consumptive demand at Tuesday's prices for fine qualities, but at a decline of ld to 2d per bushel on, middling and inferior. Sack fl our was ra th er more inquire d for, but American continues neglected ; prices, however, On Nominally the same as l as t wee k. O a t s brought late rates in the limited business done, but oatmeal was more saleable the low prices now current having attracted country b u yer& Barley, beans, and peas without change. Indian corn wag less inquired for, and the extreme rates obtainable during the week were not supported to-day, Mixed may be quoted from 33s 9d to 345; yellow, 34s 6d to 35s ; white, 36s to 36s 9d per 481bs. Our supplies of grain are small ; good dry wheats continue scarce, and are readily taken at rather over Friday's rate ) , other sorts without alteration in value. Flue barley fully se dear. Beans are not plentiful, and rather improve in price. Other articles as before. Average prices of grain—Wheat, 56s 3d ; barley, 411 6d ; oats, 253 5d ; beans, 41s 10d ; peas, 403 0d; rye, —s. Od. HIILL—Fay. 21. There was a moderate supply of wheat from the farmers to day, in somewhat improved condition, and for which there was a fair sale at about last Tuesday's rates. Foreign a slot demand. Barley for seed is inquired for, but not much offer ing. Beans and other spring corn unaltered. Linseed d u ll, and cakes have again declined; but have now reached a price which attracts attention, and we are looking for an improves demand. X 8 I 5. Se , Wheat, English, r e d 56 t o 5 8j Peas grey and black to - Ditto white 6O to 63'Linseed, Black Sea... 68 to 70 Dantzie and Konigs- (Ditto Potersburgh 56 to 67 berg Pomeranianand Ham- ( angel . 48 to 51 burgh Danish, Holstein, and i Memel . ' 50 to 51 Rgiesland 54 to 58 Per Ten Rn*lan and Odessa 58 to 63ILins.c., Hull 01 Os to 11/ 10e 04 ' Oats, English Ditto Danish —. .. Ditto Friesland Ditto Russian 27 to 30 Rape cakes —s Od to 130 s 04 Barley, malting .. Ditto grinding 35 to 38 Ditto foreign Beans Ditto foreign Peas, white and yel. 40 to 42 Flour, per bri. 35.. 381 '- , ~, 'O . , 1 , -.,; 6 ; • , . of t