The Press.
London, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

CELINA.

Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the Government to give
some further explanation as to our unfortunate
quarrel with China. He wished likewise for more
explicit information with respect to the diversion of
the troops destined for China to India, not being
able to understand, he said, whether the Govern-
ment bad distinctly authorised this diversion. He
was gradually led to discuss at some length the
merits of the Chinese quarrel, and contended that
the house ought to know what were the intentions
of the Government with reference to this quarrel,
and what was the force which they designed to em-
ploy in carrying them into execution.
Sir C. Woof), in reply, gave a narrative of opera-
tions, in which he justified the conduct of the
British authorities in China, defending Sir M. Sey-
mour against the charge of wantonly bombarding
the peaceable parts of Canton. The intentions of
the Government, he observed, had been already ex-
plained by Lord Palmerston—namely, that Lord
Elgin bad been instructed to open negotiations
direct with Pekin. A force of .5,000 troops had
been sent out to China, as well as gunboats; but, as
a greater necessity arose for the employment of the
troops in India, the whole of them were diverted
trona China thither, part by Lord Elgin's authority,
and part by orders forwarded from home. If any
hostilities should take place in China it would be at
Canton alone ; in every other part of China we were
on the best possible terms with the authorities and
the people. Up to the present moment (said Sir
C. Wood) no vessel with troops had arrived in
China, but seven or eight gunboats which were sent
out to assist in putting down piracy are in those
waters, and will be of great advantage in following
the junks up the shallow waters. The right hon.
gentleman then defended the Government :

I should like to know what the right hon. gentleman
means by saying we are not prosecuting the war in China
with vigour. A telegraphic message was received on
Saturday morning from India, and the first measure
which we took upon its receipt was to stop the India mail
which left here on Friday night, and to send out orders to
Singapore to stop all the troops who had not passed there,
and to divert them at once to India. At the same time we
received intelligence that though Lord Canning's letter
had not reached Lord Elgin at Ceylon it had overtaken
him at Singapore, and that Lord Elgin, acting upon a
moat proper estimate of the emergency of the case, had
taken upon himself to divert all the troops originally
destined for China to the graver need which had arisen in
India. That was the step which Lord Elgin took, acting
upon the principle sales populi auprenia lex, and the
measure has met with the perfect approval of the Govern-
ment. I believe that the whole of the troops sent from
this country and intended for China will necessarily touch
at Singapore, and that they will there be diverted to
meet the greater need in India. With respect to the
state of the Chinese hostilities, according to the last
accounts Sir M. Seymour held his own in the river of
Canton. Lord Elgin was at Singapore, waiting the arrival
of the Shannon frigate to take him on to Canton. He
will, when he reaches China, open negotiations with the
Emperor, and, acting very much on his own responsibility,
he will be guided in what he does by the necessities of the
case, and he will have an ample naval force there for hia
purpose.

Lord C. HAMILTON insisted upon the evidence,
public and private, that there had been an enormous
sacrifice of private property as well as human life by
the bombardment of Canton, which he characterised
as a wanton and unnecessary proceeding.
Sir C. NAPIER offered a warm defence of Sir M.
Seymour.
General TuomrsoN contended that there had been
a foregone conclusion to get up a quarrel with the
Chinese.

The report was agreed to.
The Finsbury and 13ridport election petitions were
discharged.