The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-24 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

OUR NEW COLONIAL MINISTER.
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."
Sir,—The appointment of Mr. Labouchere as
Secretary for the Colonies reminds me of a circum-
stance which occurred when he was Under-Secretary
for the same office. A number of gentlemen con-
nected with the colony of the Cape of Good Hope
waited upon him, to urge and recommend the advisa-
bility of annexing Natal to that important colony.
Mr. Labouchere, in answer to the deputation, said
that he was strongly opposed to this step, on account
of the expense and the little likelihood of any return
for the necessary outlay. In fact, for more than half
an hour he parried every remonstrance on the part of
the deputation, until at last he turned round on his
chair, pointing to a map, and said to the astonished
bystanders, " Well, where is this place you are
talking about?"
This, sir, is an illustration of the knowledge of the
man to whom our colonies are intrusted, and who is
no doubt considered to be " the right man in the
right place" !—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Nov. 20th. A. C.

YANKEE OPINION ON THE WAR WITH RUSSIA.—
Throughout the West public opinion seemed unani-
mous in an expression of an earnest desire to see the
allied armies defeated in the Crimea. The colonel
expressed himself strongly on this point
I conclude (he says, first turning with modesty to his
admiring audience) that I can about see as far into a mill-
stone as the man that pecks it. Wal, you liritishers air
'cute—you go on the high moral ticket. You call annexa•
tion robbery and territorial aggression ; but there ain'tla
power in creation that's swallowed more of other people's
country without choking than you have when nobody was
looking perticler. And now you're a-going to fight civili-
sation, by protecting the most barbarous power in Europe,
and for liberty by allying yourself with a French despot
and a Mahommetan tyrant; but chew me if liberty ain't a
long sight better off in the hands of that old 'possum
Nicholas than such mealy-mouthed hypocrites. You
understand stabbing great principles in the dark—you do.
Liberty's all bunkum with you. If it ain't, what do you
go cringing and scraping to all the despots in Europe for,
when you could raise the hull Continent in the cause of
freedom if you had a mind to? Why don't you choke off
your privileged classes, and sot your oppressed white
niggers free, and give back the black niggers in the Indies
the country you've robbed 'em off, instead of screeching at
us, and coming over here with your long faces, and
almighty jaw, and unremittin' lies, about slavery and Cuba?
There's no sin in creation your no-souled, canting, bellows-
winded Parliament won't commit if they can make a darned
cent by it. And if you were to take the Crimea, there'd be
no holding you; civilisation and liberty, and all the rest of
it, would be in danger over here then ; and the slaves in
Cuba would have to be protected, and you'd be fighting
against us to preserve the liberal institutions of Spain.
But there's no fear of that. The Roosiens will whip you
into ribbons when they gets chance. Why, they've got the
sympathies of our country with them, and it's well known
that every great question t'other side Jordon [across the
Atlantic] is settled by the public opinion here. You'll
find out the mistake you made when we offered to meditate
between the belpeant powers—[the colonel never allowed a
long word to stop him]—and you took so long to consider
upon it that it never came off at all. Now, you'll all go to
blazes together, and there ain't a man in these digging as
won't be glad to hear that the old country has a busted-up,
fighting for—ha! ha! ha! boys, what do you think !

Eiberty!
And the colonel wiped the perspiration from his brow,
and looked like a man who felt he had distinguished
himself.—Mr. Oliphant's " Minnesota."

THE MARQUIS Or LONDONDERRY was entertained
by his tenantry on Tuesday at a public dinner in
Newtownards, to mark the respect they enter-
tain for his character as a kind and considerate
landlord. In returning thanks for his health, the
noble marquis said
I assure you I value your affections greater than the
first position which the Crown could give me. Nay, I
have not refused to give proof of my utter indifference to
anything as compared with my own position on my
estates as head of those who come round me. Ido not
look for large farms—l do not want to lay land to land. I
would rather see such a bundle of sticks around me to-
uight—(laughter and cheers)—than the choicest floweret
or proudest chaplet I could wear. (Loud cheers.) I have
certain duties to perform, and so have you; and I say now
for myself, that I never will take a shilling out of your
pockets for improvements that you may make. (Cheers.)
Here is a landlord who preaches good-will to you—
(cheers)—but he is only doing what he thinks right. He
is not asking any benefit from you, because you are
honourable, and trust in him.
STIRLING Casizz Was nearly destroyed by fire on
Sunday last. The fire broke out in the Governor's
house shortly after 11 p.m., and, notwithstanding
every effort, burnt with great fury for some hours.
About 1,0001.-worth of private property was destroyed,
and, among nineteen rooms completely burnt out,
the famous Douglas Room was unhappily destroyed.
The cause of the fire is unknown.

Obituarg.

1119

MAJOR-GENERAL MARKHAM, C. 8., lately in 00.55;
wand of the second division of the army in the East,
died on Wednesday morning at Limtner's hotel. The
deceased general was the second son of the late
Admiral Markham, and grandson of Dr. Markham,
formerly Archbishop of York. General Markham
was born in 1805, and entered the army as ensign iu
the 32nd Regiment in May 1824, was present with
his regiment during the rebellion in Canada in 1837 i
and was wounded in four places at the action at St.
Denis. General Markham, then Lieutenant-Colonel,
accompanied the 32nd Regiment to the East ladies,
and served in the Punjaub campaign in 1848-U.
At the first and second siege operations before Mool-
tan, where he was again wounded, he commanded
the Second Infantry Brigade ; at the action of Soorj-
koond a division ; and the Bengal column at the
storming and capture of Mooltan, in January, 1849.
The gallant deceased was also present at the sntrender
of the fort and garrison of Cheniote, and commanded
a brigade at the battle of Goojerat. Soon after
appointed adjutant-general of the royal forces in
India, he held that post till he obtained his promo-
tion as major-general. When appointed to the com.
mand at Peshawur, he was unexpectedly recalled to
assume the command of a division of the army in the
Crimea. The gallant officer at once set out, and
performed the journey, almost from the walls of
Peshawur, to Calcutta, during the hot season, in the
unexampled space of eighteen days, and it was from
the excessive fatigue of this journey that the seeds
of his fatal illness arose. On his arrival in the Crimea
he took command of the second division, and held
that command at the last attack on the Medan, when
his health, already precarious, completely broke
down, and the gallant general was ordered home.
He arrived at Southampton on the 24th ult., and,
after a brief but severe last illness, he expired on
Wednesday morning last. The deceased general
was a Companion of the Order of the Bath, an
aide• de-camp to her Majesty, and also in receipt
of a pension for distinguished services. His commis.
sions bore date as follows :—Ensign, May, 13, 1824 ;
lieutenant, Oct. 22, 1825 ; captain, April 10, 1829 ;
major, Sept. 28, 1830, lieutenant-colonel, July 22,
1842 ; colonel, Aug. 2, 1850 ; major-general, Nov. 28,
1854. He also held the local rank of lieutenant-
general in Turkey from the 30th of July, 1855.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE.
Tuesday, Nov. 20.

BANKRUPTCY ANN ULLED.—JANks CROAT, Bishopsgate-
street Within, City, tailor.
BANKRUPTS.—THowAs ()Hoping°, Larkball Brewery, Lark-,
hall-lane, Clapham, brewer—HENßl Oblloßll, 'Awn. Thames-
street, wine merchant and licensed victualler--ORORON blood,
Pembroke wharf,Caledonlan road,imnfoundcr—Hagay Wignite,
Oxford-street, Middlesex, shawl dealer—Wti.t.ux TAvgazit,
Clifton-road (not Clifford-road, as before stated), Abbey-road,
St. John's Wood, builder—Jong ENID( WEtclinAg, Grove-
terrace, Bishop's-road, Paddington, wine merchant—gicostts
DUMMER tintPsog, East Cowes-park, Isle of Wight, hennaed
victualler—RlCHAßD CLARICE, AdelaidO-alrellt., Strand, lainp
deaIer—WILLIAM CHAMREULAIN, wale il. Slattord, builder and
sewer contractor JANss Wants, Cradley-heath. Stafford,
plumber, glazier, and licensed vietualler—Lxvt lIAIIOII, Wall-
brook. Sedgley, Stafford, grocer and publican—J(4la ALLEN 1114
JOSEPH MOOSE, Birmingham, medalists, die sinkers, and vanillin-
factuxers—Homart EUSTANCE, wine and
spirit merchant—WlLLlAM HENS): HAUSHEIGI, Cardiff, Gla-
morgan, wine merchant—Mesta CAWTHRON, Hsllfax, druggist
--JAMES DARLING, Hheftiald, grocer—JOHN MILLS, opting
Foundry, New-bank, near Halifax, iroufouuder and machhie
maker—JAMES RILEY, Chester, china, glass, and earthenware
dealer—JOHN BRONSON, Old Haymarket, Liverpool, draper—
Gsoitos Moss, Bron Offa. near Wrexham, Denbigh, coal dealer
and iron manufacturer—THOMAS CARRUTHYRS, Bridge-street,
Manchester, oil and colour dealer.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—R.FINLAYRON, lifaryburgli,
near Dingwall, merchant—J. RIVER, North Bridge, Editiburgh,
tailor and clothier.