The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

CHINA AND PERSIA.

The admiral at Malta has telegraphed to the
Secretary of the Amit al ty, under date 24th of March,
1857 :--

From the agent at Suez, 20th of March, 1857.
The Bombay brings no news of the Hit:do:llan ; the pas-
sengers reported that the night before they left Bombay a
telegraphic message was received from Calcutta, stating
that the Emperor of China disapproves of the proceedings
of the Governor of Canton, and had given him orders to
conciliate the English.
Mao th.it a battle was fought on the Bth of February,
about forty miles from 13ushire, between the Bombay and
Persian cavalry, which ended in the total rout of the latter,
with a loss of 800 ; the loss on our side was ten
killed and silty-two wounded.

THE WAR WITH CHINA.
FURTHER OFFICIAL PAPERS.
A Parliamentary return of further papers relating
to the proceedings of her Majesty's forces at Canton,
was published on Saturday.
In a despatch to the Admiralty dated December
29, Rear-Admiral Seymour gives a detailed account
of the destruction by fire of the factories at Canton,
and there is also a despatch on the same subject
from Sir John Bowring to Earl Clarendon. In the
latter document the following passage occurs :
Her Majesty's Government will, no doubt, take into
early consideration our present position in China. As re.
garde the Canton question, it appears to me that our course
must be decided by two principal considerations. First,
the obtaining indemnity for injuries done, and (always
holding the Imperial Government responsible) it is de-
sirable that the burden of the sacrifice should fall upon
Canton itself. Secondly, the securing for us a future
position iu Canton, by the appropriation of a considerable
addition to the factories, sufficient to furnish our mer-
chants with warehouses within the precincts, and the
whole secured from future attacks of robbers or incen-
diaries. These two objects accomplished, we shall not
have to regret the perverseness on the part of the Viceroy
which has brought about results so desirable. And their
- bearing upon our future relations will be most important,
for I am quite persuaded that an absolute triumph at Can-
ton will be the very best initiative to successful negotia-
tions elsewhere ; and it appears to me that these nego-
tiations must be carried on elsewhere; for the Viceroy of
Canton is, of all men, the least fitted for negotiation, and
the locality of Canton would be, of all places in the
empire, the least desirable.
The inclosures contain correspondence between
Consul Parkes, Sir John Bowling, and Admiral
Seymour, relative to the events in progress. There
is also a memorandum of operations at Canton
between the sth and 13th of January. This
memorandum relates to the burning of a portion of
the suburbs of Canton, a step " deemed " says Ad-
miral Seymour " absolutely necessary for our
safety:' In a despatch of the 23rd of January, to
Sir John Bowring, who had called the admiral's
attention to the inadequacy of the executive force
at Hong King, the admiral makes the following
curious statement :
In about a month I may begin to look for the arrival of
some of my expected steamers and gunboats.
The papers conclude with a letter from Admiral
Seymour to the Admiralty, dated the 30th of
January, relating to movements already known to
the English public. The despatch ends as follows :
From what I have stated in this letter and my previous
communications, I trust their lordships will see the ne-
cessity of sending out a further number of light-drafted
steamers to those already on their way, and that her
Majesty's Government will give directions for the speedy
despatch of a sufficient body of troops to net against the
city of Canton, the only mode of bringing this business to
a satisfactory conclusion, and placing Europeans on a
proper footing in this quarter. Although affairs at present
are perfectly tranquil at the northern ports, it is impos-
sible to say how lung they may continue so, and there can
be little doubt that on the result of the misunderstanding
Chinese

THE PRESS.

The papers contain no despatches from the Go-
vernment at home, and more than one of the docu-
ments given is stated to be an "extract."

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.
MEMBERS RETURNED.
Conservative. Liberal.
ASHTON--C. Hindley .. .. 1
BATH—Elton .. 1

.. Way .. .. 1
BLACKBURN—W. H. Hornby .. 1
J. Pilkington .. 1
Bosrox—H. Ingram .. l
W. H. Adam .. .. 1
BRISTOL—Hon. H. Berkeley .. 1
H. G. Langton • • 1
BRADFORD—W. H. Wickham .. I
Gen. P. Thompson I
Bitivor.Ey—Sir T. E. Wilmington 1
BIRMINGHAM—G. F. Muntz .. 1
W. Scholefield .. 1
CARDIFF—CoIoneI Stuart • . -- 1
Carlisle—Hodgson .. .. 1
Graham .. 1
CARMARTHEN—D. Morris . • 1
CHE LTENHAM—Capt. Berkeley .. 1
CARNARYON—W. B. Hughes .. 1
DORCHESTER—R. B. Sheridan • . 1
Captain N. Sturt 1
DUDLEY—H B. Sheridan .. 1
DURHAM—W Atherton .. • • I
J. R. Mowbray .. 1
EDINDURGH—A. Black .. .. 1
C. Cowan .. .. 1
EXETER —E. Divett .. • • 1
C. Gard .. .. 1
GRIMSBY—Lord Worsley • • 1
HASTINGS—P. Robertson .. 1
F. North .. .. 1

HEREFOr.r.--COlonel CliffUra .. 1
G. Clive .. .. 1
HERTFORD--Cowper .. .. 1
Farquhar .. . • 1 _
KENDALL--G. C. Glynn .. 1

LEOHINSTER—Gathorne Hardy 1
W. Willoughby .. 1
LEWES—H. Fitzroy .. • • 1
H. M. Brand .. .. 1
LUDLOW—Hon. P. E. Herbert .. 1
B. Botfield .. .. 1
LYNN—Lord Stanley .. .. 1
J. H. Gurney .. .. 1
MALTON---C. W. Fitzwilliam .. 1
J. Brown .. .. 1
MaaLow—Lt.•Col. T. P. Williams 1
Lt.-Col. B. W. Knox .. 1
MERTHYR TYDVILL—H. A. Bruce 1
MoRPETH—Sir George Grey .. 1
MARYLEBONE—Sir B. Hall .. 1
Lord Ebrington .. 1
NEWARK—EarI of Lincoln .. -- 1
Mr. Handley .. .. 1
PEMBROKE—SiT John Owen .. 1
PERTH—Hun. A. Kinnaird .. 1
READING—F. Pigott .. .. 1

_
~
S. heating .. .. 1
REnroaD--liiscount Galway .. 1
F. Fe!jambe ~ 1
RIPON—J. A. Warre .. ..

J. GreAnwood

RICHMOND—W. Rich

• • •

M. Wyvill .. ..
RYE—W. A. Mackinnon .. ..
SALISBURY—Lieut.-Gen. Buckley
M. H. Marsh ..
Sournammos—W. Willcox ..
W. Wegnelin ..
SOUTH SHIELDS.—R. Ingham ..
SWANSEA—Mr. L. Dillwyu ..
STAMFORD—Lord 11. Cecil .. I
Sir F. Thesiger .. 1
TAMWORTH—Sir Robert Peel .. 1
Lord Raynham .. 1
THETFORD—IA(Od Euston .. 1
Hon. F. Baring .. 1
THIRSK—Sir W. P. Gallwry .. 1
TYNEMOUTH—.W. Lindsay .. 1
WAKEFIELD—W. Charlesworth .. 1
WALSALL—Mr. C. Forster . • I
WARWICK—Mr. Repton .. .. 1
Mr. Greaves .. 1
WARRINGTON—W. G. Greenall .. 1
WESTMINSTER—Sir De Lacy Evans 1
Sir J. Shelley .. 1
WHITER kVEN—Mr. Hildyard .. 1
WHITBY—Mr. 11, Stephenson .. 1
WILTON—E. Autrobus • . .. 1
WOLVERHAMFTON—RIHn. C. Villiers 1
P. Thornely 1
WlNDSOB—Vansittart .. .. 1
Grenfell .. • • 1
WOODSTOCK—Mrq. of Blandford 1

BATH ELECTION. There is at present some
dispute about the returns. The Conservative return,
which we have reason to believe is correct, is as
follows :—Elton, 1,245 ; Way, 1,203 ; Tite, 1,195.
Liberal return :—Elton, 1,245; Tite, 1,194; Way,
1,188. _ .

WINDSOR Er.rcrioN.—Vansittart, 325 ; Grenfell,
289 ; Ricardo, 289:

CARLISI.E.—Hodson, 524 ; Graham, 491; Fer-
guson, 465. _ _

- •
HERTIOB.D.—Cowper,.2B9 ; Farquhar, 269 ; Cham-
bers, 284.

SATURDAY,

AT THE PLYMOUTH NOMINATIIN the show of hands
was largely in favour of Messrs. Hardy and White.
AT SCARBOROUGH Dr. Bayford was nominated by
a large majority. Sir J. Johnstone demanded
a poll.
AT PORTSUOTJTH Sir J. Elphinstone was received
with the utmost enthusiasm, and an enormous majo-
rity of hands exhibited in his favour.

LORD CHELSEA has come forward to contest the
election for Middlesex. The address of the noble
lord appears in our advertisement columns.

PRESIDENT BUCHANAN'S INAUGURATION.
ON the 4th inst. President Pierce's Adminiltration
ceased, and Mr. Buchanan was installed at Washing-
ton, with rather more than the usual ceremony, as
President of the Republic. A desire for brilliant
processions and military shows appears to be rapidly
outgrowing the simple taste of the earlier Repub-
licans.

Arrived at the Capitol, Mr. Buchanan came out,
descended the steps, aia.l, advancing to the front of a
platform, delivered his Inaugural Address. Alluding
first to the great example of self government the
country had given in the late Presidential contest,
Mr. Buchanan touched upon the Kansas question,
and indicated the policy he was disposed to adopt :
What a happy conception, then, was it for Congress to
apply this simple rule—that the will of the majority shall
iovern—to the settlement of the question of domestic
slavery in the territories 1 Congress is neither "to legis-
late slavery into any territory or State, nor to exclude it
therefrom ; but to leave the people thereof perfeAtly free to
form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own
way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States."
As a natural csuisequence, Congress has also prescribed
that, when the territory of Kansas shall be admitted as a
State, it "shall be received into the Union, with or without
slavery, as their Constitution may prescribe at the time of
their admission."

With respect to his future foreign policy, Presi-
dent Buchanan said :

We ought to cultivate peace, commerce, and friendship
with all nations, and this not merely as the best means of
promoting our own material interests, but in a spirit of
Christian benevolence towards our fellow-men, wherever
their lot may be cast. Our diplomacy should be direct and
frank, neither seeking to obtain more nor accepting less
than our due. We ought to cherish a sacred regard fur
the independence of all nations, and never attempt to in-
terfere in the domestic concerns of any unless they shall
be imperatively required by the great law of selfpreserva-
tion. To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of
our policy ever since the days of Washington, and its
wisdom no one will attempt to dispute. In short, we
ought to do justice in a kindly spirit to all nations and
require justice from them in return.
Mr. Buchanan concluded with a word as to future
annexations :

It is our glory, that whilst other nations have extended
their dominions by the sword, we have never acquired any
territory except by fair purchase, or, as in the case of
Texas, by the voluntary determination of a brave, kindred,
and independent ißople to blend their destinies with our
own. Even our acquisitions from Mexico form no excep-
tion. Unwilling to take advantage of the fortune of war
against a sister republic, we purchased these possessions
under the treaty of peace for a sum which was considered
at the time a fair equivalent.
Our put history forbids that we shall in the future ac-
quire territory, unless it be sanctioned by the laws of
justice and honour. Acting on this principle, no nation
will have a right to interfere or to complain if in the
progress of events we shall still further extend our pos-
sessions.
The oath was then administered, and the ceremony
was concluded.

AN ADMIRALTY Lew CASE of peculiar interest, as
establishing certain principles of international right,
was decided on Tuesday by the Court of Privy Coun-
cil. The case was an appeal against the judgment
of Dr. Lushington condemning the ship Gerasimo,
captured by H.M.S. Vesuvius on the 19th of July,
1854, as she was coming out of the Suline mouth of
the Danube. The Gerasimo belonged to an lonian
firm at Galatz, and under Wallitchian colours had
sailed from that port en route to Trieste with a cargo
of corn, when she was captured. The points in sup-
port of the legality of the capture were, first, that the
Gerasimo belonged to an enemy's country, as the
Russians then held Moldavia; and secondly, that
she broke a blockade. The Privy Council decided
on the authority of Lord Stowell, Lord Ellenborough,
and other eminent lawyers, " that a Government
yielding to the superior force of another power does
not become a co-belligerent with that power," and
that therefore Moldavia could not be considered an
enemy's country. We had recognised this principle
by acknowledging the Moldo-Wallachian flag. The
plea was, consequently, overruled. The second point,
that of a breach of blockade, was also disallowed, and
upon these grounds : the blockade was established
only as a military expedient, and for the embarrass-
ment of the Russian army. The Russian forces were
straitened for want of provisions. The allied admi-
rals forbade imports •and declared that they
had established a blockade of the Danube.

uc 114.0 YVYVIr VII VIC rcalul ul I.IIC misunuersti
at Canton will depend oar future position in the C
empire generally.
as.--.IIIIIL

F

MARCH 28, 1857.

fittrature.

The Press and the Public Service. By a
Distinguished Writer. London : Routledge.
WE fancy that it would not be difficult to
identify the " Distinguished Writer "---a less
arrogant nom de plume would have been more
judicious—who has issued this volume. But
we forbear any attempt to raise the veil from his
features, as the main object of his volume is
to insist on the right of an author to remain
anonymous as long as it pleases him. The
book is a protest against any assumption of
authority tending to compel an author to
acknowledge what he may have good reasons
for declining to avow.
We gather from the preface that Lord
Clarendon having good reasons, as he con-
ceived, for suspecting that some gentleman
employed in the Foreign-office was the author
of a certain publication, required him to clear
himself from the suspicion, first by an un•
equivocal statement made on his honour, and
secondly by affidavits of the publisher and
editor of the work. The " Distinguished
Writer" contends that Lord Clarendon ex-
ceeded his duty in this matter, and that if his
conduct were to become a precedent for the
guidance of high officials in future, it would
be productive, not only of inquisitorial pro-
ceedings, highly injurious to the position and
liberty of servants of the Crown, but of the
most serious injustice to parties who might
be unable to clear themselves from the sus-
picion attached to them.
In a series of amusing chapters he quotes
numerous instances to prove that the practice
of anonymous writing has been sanctioned by
some of the highest names in our political
and literary history ; and he endeavours to
establish, though with less success, the moral
right of writers to positively deny the author-
ship of publications which they are unwilling
to own.

The statement of his case is of sufficient
interest to be given in his own words :

The principal
.Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
has recently asserted his right to question persons in his
department respecting their supposed connection with
anonymous publications.
This Minister has further maintained, that, in conse•
quence of secret information confidentially communicated
to him, a suspected person may be called upon to furnish
conclusive proof to satisfy his lordship, and to enable his
lordship to convince others that such person is not in any
way connected with anonymous works attributed to him,
either as the author or one of the authors ; or by having
furnished materials for the works to any other person, or
in any other manner whatsoever.
The evidence required by the principal Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs to establish these negatives, must
comprise the distinct denial of the supposed author, cor•
roborated by explicit declarations or affidavits from the
publishers and editors of the anonymous works in ques.
tion.

In the event of the suspected person being unable to ob-
tain affidavits, or declarations, from perfect strangers, who
may be interested in concealing the real author or authors,
or who may not even be acquainted a ith him or them, the
suspected person will be deprived of his profession without
any form of trial. He will be punished by the degrading
sentence of dismissal from his employment, and he will be
declared incapable of holding any other appointment.
It is now sixty-five years since Mr. Fox asked whether
it was agreeable to the law of England that the onus in
cases of libel should lie on the person accused, to prove his
innocence, and not on those who accused him to prove his
guilt? The noble Secretary for Foreign Affairs is the first
British statesman who has yet answered that question in
the affirmative.

In a recent case the proofs demanded by his lordship
were actually obtained ; but the matter appeared seriously
to affect the interests of publishers, editors, and men of
letters. It appeared likely to furnish a most hurtful
and dangerous precedent. It has therefore become ne-
cessary for their future guidance to bring the subject
under public notice.

It is evident that a strong case may be made
out against the exercise of any such authority
as Lord Clarendon is here charged with having
assumed. The suspected writer might indig-
nantly refuse to give the disclaimer required
from him, though perfectly innocent of the
charge; and an editor or publisher might
still more probably refuse to supply that nega-
tive which would be a clue to the real writer.
Under such circumstances the prospects of
an honourable man might be blasted, and the
head of a family in prosperous circumstances
might, in a moment, by the caprice of his
superior, be degraded to destitution and dis-