The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Intelligence from New York to the 10th states that
in the Senate on the Bth Mr. Bigler entered upon a
defence of President Pierce. His speech has been
accepted by the Free Soil party as confirming the in-
dications afforded by movements elsewhere, that the
incoming administration will not be quietly surren-
dered to the pro-slavery influences which have con-
trolled the action of the late President. In a speech
which had been carefully prepared Mr. Bigler took
the ground that the northern democracy desired to
see Kansas a free State.

In answer to a question relative to the policy of
Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Bigler stated that the people of
Kansas must settle the question of slavery for them-
selves. In the House of Representatives the
debate was on the same subject, and was extremely
animated.

The new York Herald describes the provision' re-
garding Cubs, in " the new British treaty." It has refer-
enc•,it understands, to Cuba and the Spanish posses-
sions,as well as Central America, and its object is the
consolidation of the present political condition of these
colonies, islands, and states, with a view to the gene-
ral pacification of that part of the world and the ex-
tension of trade.

From Kansas we learn that Colonel Titus and the
most desperate of his fellow border ruffians have left
Kansas for Central America. Large sums of monf.y
and clothing were flowing in to aid the Free State
settlers, and emigrants were arriving in large num-
bers. All apprehensions of further difficulties had
disappeared, and the universal conviction was that
Kansas would become a free State.

ANOTHER FRANKLIN EXPEDITION wag discussed
at a public meeting held on Tuesday evening at the
London Mechanics Institution, Southampton •
buildings. Mr. "Mutton, a member of the Metro-
politan Board of Works, occupied the chair, and,
having introduced Dr. King, that gentleman gave
some further explanation of the manner in which
they proposed, by the Great Fish River route, to
carry out the search, which he said must end suc-
cessfully. Lieutenant Pim next addressed the
meeting in a speech which was loudly applauded,
observing that they bad no desire that any one
should hold up his hand in favour of the project
unless convinced of the necessity of a further search
on the grounds of humanity, consistency, and a desire
to preserve our national honour and maritime supre-
macy from the smallest stain. He described that
part of the plan referring to himself, enlarging upon
the use of dogs for sledging purposes ; and, pointing
out the proposed route to Montreal Island and the
north of the Fish River, he said difficulties, no doubt,
would have to be encountered, but long experience
in the polar regions had considerably lessened the
dangers, which could, many of them, be avoided by
common foresight. He himself was of opinion that
it would be only necessary to approach the Esquimaux
with a little circumspection to extract from them the

thrilling story of our countrymen's sufferings, and to
induce them to tell at what village the survivors would
be found. There could be no doubt the natives in the
vicinity of the magnetic pole knew every particular
about the missing ships. Lieutenant. Pim then spoke
of the large, cumbersome expeditions hitherto sent
out, citing the abandonment of the five vessels, and
the return of tne Resolute. Two more ships were
floating about in the ice—and if we were not quickly
in the field, he should not oe surprised to hear of the
French bringing one to England and perhaps the
Danes the other. He did not hesitate to say that
such an event would make us the laughing-stock of
Europe. Resolutions approving the projeot ware
carried unanimously.

1229

SIR HOUSTON STEWART UPON THE CON-
DUCT OF THE WAR.
ADMIRAL SIR HOUSTON STEWART, K.C.8., was enter-
tained last week at a grand public dinner, at Greenock,
in approbation of his gallant and patriotic ser-
vices during the late war. Upwards of two hun-
dred gentlemen assembled to do honour to the
gallant admiral. The toast of" Her Majesty's Minis-
ters" was replied to by the Duke of ARGYLL. Alluding
to the great support the Government had received
from the people of England, and the patience with
which the burdens of war had been borne, his Grace
observed in conclusion :--
And now, gentlemen, T believe we shall have to thank
you yet again for the support you will give when the time
of reckoning, which is not far distant, comes—l mean
when Parliament meets. I believe we shall have to thank
you again for the support you will give to those exertions
which have been mule by my noble friend at the head of
the Government, and by my noble friend Lord Clarendon,
to carry out the conditions of the treaty of peace in their
entirety and integrity. I can only say, gentlemen, that it
is my sincere belief that, struggling as we have been
throughout this war, for objects which are not selfish, for
objects in which England had no primary concern, which
affected almost more the interests of other States, we have
thought it our duty to be strenuous in support of the
literal terms and obligations of that treaty, and I cannot
doubt that these exerti ins will be crowned with success.
I believe that they have been conducted in that spirit at
once of conciliation and cf firmness in which the foreign
affairs of this country have been unifornly conducted by
my noble friend Lord Clarendon. And now, gentlemen, I
do trust that, whether the Government of this country is
to he in the present or any other hands, Government will
still have the support of its people in times of profound
peace. I hope those times are coming, for great as may
be the triumphs of war, they are costly triumphs, and we
look, as I am sure the people of this country look, forward
with anxiety and hope to the time when we may be the
rivals of other nations in nothing else than in the arts of
pace. And I would say, in conclusion, that I hope we
shall be able in future, when the transactions connected
with this war are wound up end closed—l hope we shall
be able to resume terms of amity and friendship with that
brave and gallant people with which we have lately been
at war.

The toast of the evening was then proposed and
drank witi tremendous enthusiasm. Sir FICIRSTON
STEWART, on rising, detailed briefly the different ap-
pointments he bad held during the ear. He then
came to the siege of Sebastopol, the bombardment
of the 17th of October, and the question between
batteries and ships :
It had been said we could not get our enemy out to
meet us in the Black Sea. That was quite true, and be
thought they were very wise. But it should be recollected
that they had no screw ships—no ships with two decks
and steam. Steam had made a vast, an enormous dd•
ference in the art of war, especially of naval war. They
might talk as long as they pleased about ships and stone
walls, the one versus the other, but be had lived long
enough to know that, considering the combustibles and
the immense increase of weight of metal with which
ships would he met if they came in contact, they would
have little chance. Unless they could place a ship of war
within thirty yards of a stone battery the wooden walls
would not have the best of it. They might probably allude
to Acre and Algiers, but they mast recollect the sage re-
mark of the Duke of Wellington after the bombardment
of Acre, in which he bore a humble part. At Algiers they
allowed the ships to take no their position. The Queen
Charlotte, with Lord Exmouth, was actually within yard's
length of the quay, and Lord Exmouth, before he would
drop anchor, actually waved to the people to get out of the
way. No doubt they would in such a case make precious
work with the battery. At Acre we put buoys upon the shoals
in the night time to show where they were. The Egyp-
tians thought these were the soots on which we meant to
anchor our ships ; they lowered ali their guns for these
buoys, and blocked up the embrasures with sandbags to
prevent our shot touching them. What was the conse-
quence ? They let us pass the shoals and then opened
tire, but not till we were past them: and three times their
batteries were manned and destroyed. That was taking
up a vsition before they began. With respect to ships
and stone walls, then, it was very easy to talk of the
Baltic Bret and say it ought to have sent Cronstadt to the
devil, but they should, after all, consider that it was mach
more easy said than done. Now, with regard to the bom-
bardment of Sebastopol--he was not present on the 17th
of October—the same argument was illustrated there. A
gallant attack was made, and it was intended to suppoit
the assault. The siege batteries were opened at daylight,
and they succeeded so well that Lord Region had left rte
parapet where he had been observing our fire, and was
going to communicate with the French general in order
to arrange the assault when the French magazine blew up,
and, to use the expressive phrase at the time, " their fire
was snuffed out." The assault, of course, could not be
made. The bombardment was ordered for one o'clock,
and then lied been countermanded. But that was a very
difficult thing to do with an allied fleet—with every man
burning for distinction it. was almost impossible—so they
went at it, and they behaved admirably. But what was
the consequence? We showed every weak point the
enemy had, only to enable them to repair the errors and
add to the strength of their fortress.
In fine, without the assault by land the bombard-
ment by sea was futile. The gallant admiral then
alluded to the conduct and character of Lord Rag-
lan. He considered that his position was mammies.
stood in England